CT texture analysis of tumors may be a valuable biomarker in localized esophageal cancer

This study evaluated the tumoral texture analysis on baseline and post-treatment CT scans of 31 patients with localized resectable esophageal cancer patients with a median age of 63 and who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 2007 and 2010. CT scans were performed before and after the use of chemotherapy and prior to surgery.

All patients received platinum and fluorouracil-based chemotherapy followed by surgery. Texture parameters (mean-grey level intensity (MGI), entropy, uniformity, kurtosis, skewness and standard deviation of histogram (SDH)) were derived for four filter values to highlight structures of different spatial width: 1.0 (fine texture), 1.5-2.0 (medium) and 2.5 (coarse). Median follow-up was 21.9 months. Primary tumors became more homogenous following chemotherapy, as entropy decreased and uniformity increased. Smaller change in skewness following chemotherapy was a significant prognostic factor—median overall survival was 36.1 months vs. 11.1 months. Lower baseline entropy and lower post-treatment MGI were also associated with improved survival, although they demonstrated only a trend toward significance.

Texture analysis of the CT scans is a post-processing step, which was done utilizing proprietary software (TexRAD) that enhances the images in ultra-fine detail not visible to the human eye. Certain tumoral features changed consistently following chemotherapy, and some features were associated with overall survival.

“Though these results are for a very small number of patients, they suggest that the tumoral texture features may provide valuable information that could help us to distinguish which patients will do well following chemotherapy and which ones will do poorly,” said Connie Yip, MD, the lead study author, a clinical research fellow at King’s College London, United Kingdom and an associate consultant in radiation oncology at the National Cancer Centre, Singapore. “As a biomarker for treatment efficacy, this technique could save patients from unnecessary surgery and provide more definitive guidance in developing patient treatment plans with improved outcomes.”

The abstract, “CT Tumoral Heterogeneity as a Prognostic Marker in Primary Esophageal Cancer Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy,” will be presented in detail during a scientific session at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday, February 9, 2013. To speak with Connie Yip, MD, email or call Michelle Kirkwood on February 8-9, 2013, in the Press Office at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista in the Walt Disney World Resort at 407-560-2314.

About ASTRO

ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 10,000 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through education, clinical practice, advancement of science and advocacy. For more information on radiation therapy, visit www.rtanswers.org. To learn more about ASTRO, visit www.astro.org.

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Michelle Kirkwood703-286-1600