The role of PET in Hodgkin’s lymphoma and its impact on radiation oncology

Abstract

A high negative-predictive value of ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET in early and late response assessment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients has been observed in numerous trials. The consequent substantial reduction in the number of chemotherapy cycles and radiotherapy in many current trials seems to be very promising. The criteria used to describe ¹⁸F-FDG accumulation are widely standardized, but PET interpretation in a dedicated clinical algorithm is being discussed among study groups and will be evaluated in the ongoing trials. The integration of ¹⁸F-FDG PET into radiation treatment planning could have a substantial impact on treatment volumes within the new target definition ‘involved-node radiotherapy’. Involved-node radiotherapy has been proposed as a means to further improve the therapeutic ratio by reducing the risk of acute radiation-induced toxicity and potentially lowering the rate of long-term complications, including secondary malignancies.

Keywords::

• Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• PET
• radiotherapy
• response assessment
• therapy monitoring

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.