18 F-fludeoxyglucose positron emission computed tomography ( 18 F-FDG-PET/CT) versus 68 Ga-DOTATATE-PET/CT in patients with head and neck cancer: Comparisons and implications for treatment

Tumor-specific molecular imaging in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is not well established. Somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) are found in solid tumors, including HNSCC. Ga-DOTATATE, a commercially available radionuclide that binds SSTRs, may have utility in imaging HNSCC. Patients with HNSCC received pretreatment imaging with F-FDG-PET/CT and Ga-DOTATATE. Imaging was compared for concordance. When available, surgical resection specimens were compared to pretreatment imaging findings. Historic HNSCC tumor specimens were assessed for both SSTR and p16/human papilloma virus (HPV) expression. Twenty patients were imaged. Fifteen had oropharyngeal cancer. Primary tumor site was concordant between imaging modalities for all patients. One of 45 lymph nodes was discordant. Retrospective specimen review showed a significant correlation with SSTR expression and HPV/p16 expression. No adverse events occurred. Ga-DOTATATE imaging is safe and effective in HNSCC. SSTR expression may be increased in HPV-mediated tumors. Targeted therapies to SSTR should be explored.