The ratio between the whole-body and primary tumor burden, measured on F-FDG PET/CT studies, as a prognostic indicator in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: To determine whether the whole-body tumor burden, as quantified by F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT), is a prognostic indicator in advanced (stage III or IV) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective study in which we evaluated F-FDG PET/CT staging parameters to quantify tumor burdens in patients with stage III or IV NSCLC. The following parameters were evaluated for the whole body (including the primary tumor) and for the primary tumor alone, respectively: maximum standardized uptake volume (wbSUV and tuSUV); metabolic tumor volume (wbMTV and tuMTV); and total lesion glycolysis (wbTLG and tuTLG).