Objective: To evaluate the value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram analysis for predicting tumor recurrence in patients with uterine cervical cancer treated with chemoradiation therapy (CRT).
Materials and methods: Our institutional review board approved this retrospective study and waived informed consent from each patient. Forty-two patients (mean age, 56 ± 14 years) with biopsy-proven uterine cervical squamous cell carcinoma who underwent both pre-treatment pelvic magnetic resonance imaging with a 3.0 T magnetic resonance scanner and concurrent CRT were included. All patients were followed-up for more than 6 months (mean, 36.4 ± 11.9 months; range 9.0-52.8 months) after completion of CRT. Baseline ADC parameters (mean ADC, 25th percentile, 50th percentile, and 75th percentile ADC values) of tumors were calculated and compared between the recurrence and no recurrence groups.
Results: In the recurrence group, the mean ADC and 75th percentile ADC values of tumors were significantly higher than those of the no recurrence group (p = 0.043 and p = 0.008, respectively). In multivariate analysis, the 75th percentile ADC value of tumors was a significant predictor for tumor recurrence (p = 0.009; hazard ratio, 1.319). When the cut-off value of the 75th percentile ADC (0.936 × 10(-3) mm(2)/sec) was used, the overall recurrence free survival rate above the cut-off value was significantly lower than that below the cut-off value (51.9% vs. 91.7%, p = 0.003, log-rank test).
Conclusion: Pre-CRT ADC histogram analysis may serve as a biomarker for predicting tumor recurrence in patients with uterine cervical cancer treated with CRT.
Keywords: Apparent diffusion coefficient; Cervical cancer; Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging; Tumor recurrence; Uterus.