Quantitative CT variables enabling response prediction in neoadjuvant therapy with EGFR-TKIs: are they different from those in neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To correlate changes of various CT parameters after the neoadjuvant treatment in patients with lung adenocarcinoma with pathologic responses, focused on their relationship with different therapeutic options, particularly of EGFR-TKI and concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) settings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed pre-operative CT images of primary tumors and surgical specimens obtained after neoadjuvant therapy (TKI, n = 23; CCRT, n = 28) from 51 patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Serial changes in tumor volume, density, mass, skewness/kurtosis, and size-zone variability/intensity variability) were assessed from CT datasets. The changes in CT parameters were correlated with histopathologic responses, and the relationship between CT variables and histopathologic responses was compared between TKI and CCRT groups.

RESULTS

Tumor volume, mass, kurtosis, and skewness were significant predictors of pathologic response in CCRT group in univariate analysis. Using multivariate analysis, kurtosis was found to be independent predictor. In TKI group, intensity variability and size-zone variability were significantly decreased in pathologic responder group. Intensity variability was found to be an independent predictor for pathologic response on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Quantitative CT variables including histogram or texture analysis have potential as a predictive tool for response evaluation, and it may better reflect treatment response than standard response criteria based on size changes.