Response Evaluation in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Early Response Evaluation in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma By Total Glycolytic Volume (TGV) Analysis of Serial FDG-PET Scans (Positron Emission Tomography Scans)

Recently, a few small trials have shown promising results on value of fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose and positron emission tomography imaging in response assessment in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma. These studies considered different parameters in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) analysis, mainly the standardized uptake value and volume-based parameters such as total glycolytic volume.

This is a retrospective analysis of two consecutive and homogeneous series of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma patients treated with first-line pemetrexed-based chemotherapy and evaluated by CT scan and FDG-PET.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Histologically proven MALIGNANT PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA
• Patients not candidate to radical surgery
• Unidimensionally and/or bidimensionally CT-measurable disease and Candidate to first-line pemetrexed-based chemotherapy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Histologically not proven MALIGNANT PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA