[CT evaluation of response to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in primary lung cancer: comparison of response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) and the WHO criteria, and comparison of both methods with the histological evaluation].

Purpose: The new RECIST criteria for evaluation of tumor response to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy were proposed in 1999. We compared RECIST with the WHO criteria and also compared both methods with the histological findings, to evaluate RECIST.

Subjects And Methods: The subjects were 32 primary lung cancer patients operated on after chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Two radiologists measured the diameter of the tumors and compared the RECIST and WHO criteria using the McNemar test. We also compared both criteria with the histological results.

Results: Using RECIST, partial response (PR) was assessed in 12 cases, stable disease (SD) in 18, and progressive disease (PD) in 2. With the WHO criteria, PR was seen in 15, no change (NC) in 15, and PD in 2. The two evaluations corresponded in 29 of 32 cases, and the p-value was 0.2500. Ef.1b-2 (good histological effect) was much higher in PR, and to evaluate the size of the tumors was useful, although more than half of SD was Ef.1b-2.

Conclusion: RECIST criteria corresponded almost perfectly with the WHO criteria, suggesting that RECIST is accurate and useful.