
Abstract Background In patients affected with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is highly expressed in sites of disease in an ex-vivo setting. We aimed to determine the predictive value of CXCR4-targeting [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor PET/CT for outcome when compared to clinical parameters. Methods We identified 41 metastasized ACC patients imaged with [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor PET/CT. Scans were assessed visually and on a quantitative level by manually segmenting the tumor burden (providing tumor volume [TV], peak/mean/maximum standardized uptake values [SUV] and tumor chemokine receptor binding on the cell surface [TRB], defined as SUVmean multiplied by tumor volume). Clinical parameters included sex, previous therapies, age, Weiss-Score, and Ki67 index. Following imaging, overall survival (OS) was recorded. Results After [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor PET/CT, median OS was 9 months (range, 1–96 months). On univariable analysis, only higher TRB (per 10 ml, HR 1.004, 95%CI: 1.0001–1.007, P = 0.005) and presence of CXCR4-positive peritoneal metastases (PM) were associated with shorter OS (HR 2.03, 95%CI: 1.03–4.02, P = 0.04). Presence of CXCR4-positive liver metastases (LM) trended towards significance (HR 1.85, 0.9–4.1, P = 0.11), while all other parameters failed to predict survival. On multivariable analysis, only TRB was an independent predictor for OS (HR 1.0, 95%CI: 1.00-1.001, P = 0.02). On Kaplan-Meier analysis, TRB above median (13.3 months vs. below median, 6.4 months) and presence of CXCR4-positive PM (6.4 months, vs. no PM, 11.4 months) were associated with shorter survival (P < 0.05, respectively). Presence of LM, however, was also linked to less favorable outcome (8.5 months vs. no LM, 18.1 months), without reaching significance (P = 0.07). Conclusions In advanced ACC, elevated tumor chemokine receptor binding on the tumor cell surface detected through [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor PET/CT is an independent predictor for OS, while other imaging and clinical parameters failed to provide relevant prognostic information.
Male, Adult, ddc:610, Receptors, CXCR4, Middle Aged, Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/pathology [MeSH] ; Female [MeSH] ; Aged [MeSH] ; Adult [MeSH] ; Humans [MeSH] ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma/diagnostic imaging [MeSH] ; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/metabolism [MeSH] ; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography [MeSH] ; Peptides, Cyclic [MeSH] ; Predictive Value of Tests [MeSH] ; Middle Aged [MeSH] ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma/pathology [MeSH] ; Original Article ; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging [MeSH] ; Male [MeSH] ; Prognosis [MeSH] ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma/metabolism [MeSH] ; Receptors, CXCR4/metabolism [MeSH] ; Coordination Complexes [MeSH], Prognosis, Peptides, Cyclic, Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms, Coordination Complexes, Predictive Value of Tests, Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography, Adrenocortical Carcinoma, Humans, Original Article, Female, Aged
Male, Adult, ddc:610, Receptors, CXCR4, Middle Aged, Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/pathology [MeSH] ; Female [MeSH] ; Aged [MeSH] ; Adult [MeSH] ; Humans [MeSH] ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma/diagnostic imaging [MeSH] ; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/metabolism [MeSH] ; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography [MeSH] ; Peptides, Cyclic [MeSH] ; Predictive Value of Tests [MeSH] ; Middle Aged [MeSH] ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma/pathology [MeSH] ; Original Article ; Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging [MeSH] ; Male [MeSH] ; Prognosis [MeSH] ; Adrenocortical Carcinoma/metabolism [MeSH] ; Receptors, CXCR4/metabolism [MeSH] ; Coordination Complexes [MeSH], Prognosis, Peptides, Cyclic, Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms, Coordination Complexes, Predictive Value of Tests, Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography, Adrenocortical Carcinoma, Humans, Original Article, Female, Aged
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