A Phase 2 Study of 16α-[18F]-fluoro-17β-estradiol Positron Emission Tomography (FES-PET) as a Marker of Hormone Sensitivity in Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC)

• DOI: 10.1007/s11307-013-0699-7
• Publication Date: 2013-10-29T14:48:20Z
• Authors: Lanell M. Peterson; Brenda F. Kurland; Erin K. Schubert; Jeanne M. Link; V.K. Gadi; Jennifer M. Specht; Janet F. Eary; Peggy Porter; Lalitha K. Shankar; David A. Mankoff; Hannah M. Linden
• Keywords: Standardized uptake value

16α-[(18)F]-fluoro-17β-estradiol positron emission tomography (FES-PET) quantifies estrogen receptor (ER) expression in tumors and may provide diagnostic benefit.Women with newly diagnosed metastatic breast cancer (MBC) from an ER-positive primary tumor were imaged before starting endocrine therapy. FES uptake was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively, and associated with response and with ER expression.Nineteen patients underwent FES imaging. Fifteen had a biopsy of a metastasis and 15 were evaluable for response. Five patients had quantitatively low FES uptake, six had at least one site of qualitatively FES-negative disease. All patients with an ER-negative biopsy had both low uptake and at least one site of FES-negative disease. Of response-evaluable patients, 2/2 with low FES standard uptake value tumors had progressive disease within 6 months, as did 2/3 with qualitatively FES-negative tumors.Low/absent FES uptake correlates with lack of ER expression. FES-positron emission tomography can help identify patients with endocrine resistant disease and safely measures ER in MBC.