Role of pathologic prognostic factors in breast cancer patients with isolated bone metastasis and relationship between SUVmax and prognostic factors

Introduction: 18F-FDG PET/CT provides very effective results in detecting metastases of breast cancer. In our study, we investigated the relationship between maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) and prognostic pathologic factors in breast cancer cases with isolated bone metastasis and whether there was any difference in terms of prognostic pathologic factors between the group with and without bone metastasis. Methods: Between 2013 and 2016, isolated bone metastases (55 female; 56±12 years; 32-87), and non-metastatic (46 female; 55±13 years; 30-81) patients who were referred to department of nuclear medicine and underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT for staging were included in the study. PET/CT images of patients and pathologic prognostic factors were evaluated retrospectively. SUVmax value of the most intense activity from metastatic bone lesions was calculated. Results: In the metastatic group, there was no statistically significant relationship between measured SUVmax value of bone metastasis and pathologic prognostic factors. A statistically significant difference was found between the metastatic group and the non-metastatic group in terms of lymph node stage, lymphovascular/perineural invasion. The lymph node stage in the metastatic group was higher than the non-metastatic group. The presence of lymphovascular/perineural invasion in bone metastasis cases was more than in the non-metastatic group. Conclusion: In our study, it was determined that there was a relationship between the lymph node stage, lymphovascular/ perineural invasion and formation of bone metastasis in breast cancer. Between SUVmax values and other factors in the metastatic group, no significant relationship was detected.