Predicting tumor recurrence in patients with cervical carcinoma treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy: value of quantitative histogram analysis on diffusion-weighted MR images

Abstract

Background Further research is required for evaluating the use of ADC histogram analysis in more advanced stages of cervical cancer treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Purpose To investigate the utility of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram derived from diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images in cervical cancer patients treated with definitive CRT. Material and Methods The clinical and radiological data of 50 patients with histologically proven cervical squamous cell carcinoma treated with definitive CRT were retrospectively analyzed. The impact of clinicopathological factors and ADC histogram parameters on prognostic factors and treatment outcomes was assessed. Results The mean and median ADC values for the cohort were 1.043 ± 0.135 × 10^-3 mm²/s and 1.018 × 10^-3 mm²/s (range, 0.787-1.443 × 10^-3 mm²/s). The mean ADC was significantly lower for patients with advanced stage (≥IIB) or lymph node metastasis compared with patients with stage <IIB or no lymph node metastasis. The mean ADC, 75th percentile ADC (ADC75), 90th percentile ADC (ADC90), and 95th percentile ADC (ADC95) were significantly lower in patients with tumor recurrence compared with patients without recurrence. In multivariate analysis, tumor size, ADC75 and ADC95 were independent prognostic factors for both overall survival and disease-free survival. Conclusion ADC histogram parameters could be markers for disease recurrence and for predicting survival outcomes. ADC75, ADC90, and ADC95 of the primary tumor were significant predictors of disease recurrence in cervical cancer patients treated with definitive CRT.

Keywords: Cervical cancer; apparent diffusion coefficient; chemoradiotherapy; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); prognostic factor.