Prognostic Value Of Tumor Volume Research Articles

Prognostic Value of Tumor Volume, Tumor Volume Reduction Rate and Magnetic Resonance Tumor Regression Grade in Rectal Cancer.

Background and Objectives: Rectal cancer poses significant treatment challenges, especially in advanced stages. Radiologic assessment, particularly with MRI, is critical for surgeons and oncologists to understand tumor dynamics and tailor treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to correlate MRI-based tumor volumetric and tumor regression grade analysis in patients with advanced rectal cancer, assessing the impact of preoperative chemotherapy (CT) alone or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) on surgical technique choices. Materials and Methods: Between 2015 and 2022, a prospective study was enrolled, including a cohort of 89 patients diagnosed with rectal cancer at stage II or III. The participants were divided into two distinct therapy groups, ensuring an equal distribution with a ratio of 1:1. The initial group was treated with the contemporary preoperative chemotherapy protocol FOLFOX4. In contrast, the alternative group received conventional preoperative chemoradiotherapy. Before surgery, each patient underwent a rectal MRI scan at 1.5 T, including T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences. Results: The CT group showed a 36.52% tumor volume reduction rate (TVRR), and the CRT group showed 54.87%, with varying magnetic resonance and pathological tumor regression grades (mrTRG and pTRG). Analysis revealed a significant interaction between mrTRG and tumor volumetrics (volume and VRR) in both groups, especially CRT, underscoring the complexity of tumor response. Both treatment groups had similar initial tumor volumes, with CRT displaying a higher TVRR, particularly in higher pathological TRG (3/4) cases. This interaction and the strong correlation between mrTRG and pTRG suggest mrTRG's role as a non-invasive predictor for treatment response, highlighting the need for personalized treatment plans. Conclusions: Rectal tumor volume, volume reduction rate, and mrTRG are not just abstract measures; they are concrete indicators that have a direct and practical impact on surgical decision-making, planning, and prognosis, ultimately influencing the quality of care and life expectancy of patients with rectal cancer.

Role of tumor volume in endometrial cancer: An imaging analysis and prognosis significance.

To evaluate the prognostic value of tumor volume on preoperative MRI in endometrial cancer (EC) patients and its association with adverse prognostic factors and survival. A retrospective observational study with 127 consecutive patients with endometrioid EC was carried out between 2016 and 2021 at Juan Ramón Jiménez University Hospital, Huelva (Spain). All patients underwent preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for local staging. The tumor volume was analyzed on MRI by two different methods: by measuring the three maximum diameters of the tumor according to an ellipse formula and by manual region of interest in different sections; the ratio between tumor volume and uterus volume was also calculated as a third tool. The relationships between volume, prognostic factors, and survival were analyzed. A total of 127 patients with endometroid EC underwent preoperative MRI and were included in the study. Tumor volume was significantly higher for deep myometrial invasion, cervical stromal involvement, infiltrated serosa, lymph node metastases, high-grade EC, and lymphovascular space involvement, advanced FIGO stage, and High Recurrence Risk Group (P < 0.001). ROC curves showed that tumor volume greater than 25 cm3 predicts lymph node metastases. Volume index greater than 17 cm3 was associated with reduced disease-free survival (P < 0.001) and overall survival (P < 0.003). Multivariate analysis showed that the greatest tumor volume had an independent impact on recurrence (odds ratio [OR]1.019, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.005-1.032) and survival (OR 1.027, 95% CI 1.009-1.046). This study shows an important correlation between tumor volume on MRI and poor prognostic factors. Preoperative tumor volume on MRI is a valuable biomarker to be considered for management of EC.

Tumor Location and a Tumor Volume over 2.8 cc Predict the Prognosis for Japanese Localized Prostate Cancer.

(1) Objective: Our study investigated the prognostic value of tumor volume and location in prostate cancer patients who received radical prostatectomy (RP). (2) Methods: The prognostic significance of tumor volume and location, together with other clinical factors, was studied using 557 patients who received RP. (3) Results: The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve identified the optimal cutoff value of tumor volume as 2.8 cc for predicting biochemical recurrence (BCR). Cox regression analysis revealed that a tumor in the posterior area (p = 0.031), peripheral zone (p = 0.0472), and tumor volume ≥ 2.8 cc (p < 0.0001) were predictive factors in univariate analysis. After multivariate analysis, tumor volume ≥ 2.8 cc (p = 0.0225) was an independent predictive factor for BCR. Among them, a novel risk model was established using tumor volume and location in the posterior area and peripheral zone. The progression-free survival (PFS) of patients who met the three criteria (unfavorable group) was significantly worse than other groups (p ≤ 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that the unfavorable risk was an independent prognostic factor for BCR. The prognostic significance of our risk model was observed in low- to intermediate-risk patients, although it was not observed in high-risk patients. (4) Conclusion: Tumor volume (≥2.8 cc) and localization (posterior/peripheral zone) may be a novel prognostic factor in patients undergoing RP.

Prognostic Value of Tumor Volume Assessment on PSMA PET After 177Lu-PSMA Radioligand Therapy Evaluated by PSMA PET/CT Consensus Statement and RECIP 1.0.

Quantitative evaluation of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeting PET/CT remains challenging but is urgently needed for the use of standardized PET-based response criteria, such as the PSMA PET/CT consensus statement or Response Evaluation Criteria in PSMA PET/CT (RECIP 1.0). A recent study evaluated the prognostic value of whole-body tumor volume using a semiautomatic method relying on a 50% threshold of lesion SUVmax (PSMATV50). In the present study, we analyzed the suitability of this approach comparing 18F-PSMA-1007 with 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scans and the potential of PSMATV50 for the prediction of overall survival (OS) in patients before 177Lu-PSMA radioligand therapy (RLT). Moreover, PSMATV50 was integrated into the PSMA PET/CT consensus statement as well as RECIP 1.0, and the prognostic value of these response classification systems was compared. Methods: This retrospective study included 70 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer undergoing PSMA RLT. Thirty-three patients were monitored by 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT, and 37 patients by 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT. PET/CT scans before (baseline) and at the end of PSMA RLT after 2-4 cycles (follow-up) were separately analyzed by 2 readers. PSMATV50 at baseline and its change at the time of follow-up (ΔPSMATV50, expressed as a ratio) were correlated with OS using Cox proportional-hazards regression. The results of both subgroups were compared. The integration of ΔPSMATV50 in existing response classification systems was evaluated. To assess and compare the discriminatory strength of these classification systems, Gönen and Heller concordance probability estimates were calculated. Results: PSMATV50 determination was technically feasible in all examinations. A higher PSMATV50 at baseline and a higher ΔPSMATV50 were strongly associated with a shorter OS for both 68Ga-PSMA-11 (PSMATV50: hazard ratio [HR] of 1.29 [95% CI, 1.05-1.55], P = 0.009; ΔPSMATV50: HR of 1.83 [95% CI, 1.08-3.09], P = 0.024) and 18F-PSMA-1007 (PSMATV50: HR of 1.84 [95% CI, 1.13-2.99], P = 0.014; ΔPSMATV50: HR of 1.23 [95% CI, 1.04-1.51], P = 0.03). Response assessment provided high discriminatory power for OS for the PSMA PET/CT consensus statement (concordance probability estimate, 0.73) as well as RECIP 1.0 (concordance probability estimate, 0.74). Conclusion: PSMATV50 and ΔPSMATV50 proved to be predictive of OS not only for 68Ga-PSMA-11 but also for 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT scans. Subsequent integration of ΔPSMATV50 into the PSMA PET/CT consensus statement and RECIP 1.0 provided equally high prognostic value for both classification systems.

Does Tumor Volume Have a Prognostic Role in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Simple SummaryIncreasing evidence supports the role of tumor volume as a prognostic marker in head and neck cancer (HNC), specifically, in the glottis, supraglottis, hypopharynx and nasopharynx treated by primary radiotherapy. However, studies on oropharyngeal carcinomas have yielded mixed results. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the prognostic value of tumor volume in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). In particular, we calculated the hazard ratio (HR) of overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and locoregional control (LRC) of high values for primary and nodal tumor volume (pTV and nTV, respectively), compared to those of low values. Our findings based on 1417 patients with OPSCC showed that pTV and nTV are not predictors of OS, and they may not be used as prognostic factors in OPSCCs. Moreover, the difference in terms of DFS and LRC was too small to appear clinically relevant.The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of tumor volume in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). The study was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 1417 patients with a median age of 59.3 years (IQR 57.5–60) were included. The combined Hazard Ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS) were 1.02 (95% CI, 0.99–1.05; p = 0.21) for primary tumor volume (pTV) and 1.01 (95% CI, 1.00–1.02; p = 0.15) for nodal tumor volume (nTV). Regarding locoregional control (LRC), the pooled HRs were 1.07 (95% CI, 0.99–1.17; p = 0.10) for pTV and 1.02 (95% CI, 1.01–1.03; p < 0.05) for nTV. Finally, the pooled HRs for disease-free survival (DFS) were 1.01 (95% CI, 1.00–1.03; p < 0.05) for pTV and 1.02 (95% CI, 1.01–1.03; p < 0.05) for nTV. In conclusion, pTV and nTV seem not to behave as reliable prognostic factors in OPSCC.

Prognostic imaging variables for recurrent laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma treated with primary chemoradiotherapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BackgroundIn this systematic review, we aim to identify prognostic imaging variables of recurrent laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma after chemoradiotherapy.MethodsA systematic search was performed in PubMed and EMBASE (1990–2020). The crude data and effect estimates were extracted for each imaging variable. The level of evidence of each variable was assessed and pooled risk ratios (RRs) were calculated.ResultsTwenty‐two articles were included in this review, 17 on computed tomography (CT) and 5 on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) variables. We found strong evidence for the prognostic value of tumor volume at various cut‐off points (pooled RRs ranging from 2.09 to 3.03). Anterior commissure involvement (pooled RR 2.19), posterior commissure involvement (pooled RR 2.44), subglottic extension (pooled RR 2.25), and arytenoid cartilage extension (pooled RR 2.10) were also strong prognostic factors.ConclusionPretreatment tumor volume and involvement of several subsites are prognostic factors for recurrent laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma after chemoradiotherapy.

PO-0833: Prognostic value of tumor volume for outcomes of locally advanced laryngeal cancer treatment

PO-0833: Prognostic value of tumor volume for outcomes of locally advanced laryngeal cancer treatment

Tumor Volume Index as a Prognostic Factor in Patients after Curative Esophageal Cancer Resection

The tumor, node, metastasis classification system for staging esophageal cancer does not include tumor volume although it may be an important prognostic factor. We evaluated the prognostic value of tumor volume in esophageal cancer. We performed a retrospective study in patients with histologically confirmed primary esophageal cancer who underwent curative esophagectomy at our facility between April 1992 and December 2013. The Tumor Depth Parameter (TDP) was defined as mucosa = 1, submucosa = 2, muscularis propria = 3, adventitia = 4, and invasion into adjacent organs = 5. The pathological Tumor Volume Index (TVI) was defined as the major axis × the minor axis × TDP. The appropriate tumor diameter and TVI cutoff values were determined by the Youden index obtained from the receiver operating characteristic curve. Prognostic factors for overall survival were evaluated by univariate analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression models. We enrolled 302 patients. In the univariate analysis, patient age and sex, thoracoscopic surgery, tumor depth of invasion and diameter, lymph node metastasis, and the TVI were significantly associated with overall survival. In our multivariate analysis, patient age and sex, thoracoscopic surgery, lymph node metastasis, and the TVI were independently associated with overall survival. The pathological TVI was an independent prognostic factor in patients with esophageal carcinoma and could be included in the staging system of esophageal cancer.

Correction to: Prognostic Value of Tumor Volume in Glioblastoma Patients: Size Also Matters for Patients with Incomplete Resection.

Due to a metadata tagging error the names of Stephanie E. Combs and Jan S. Kirschke were indexed incorrectly. Stephanie E. is the author's given name, and Jan S. is the author's given name.

Prognostic value of tumor volume in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with primary surgery.

Tumor volume in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was mainly measured in nonsurgically treated patients. We analyzed the influence of tumor volume on complete response (CR), overall survival (OS), and clear surgical margins also in primarily surgically treated patients. In contrast-enhanced CTs, the tumor volumes of patients with incident HNSCC were measured. The tumor volumes of 259 patients were measured, of which 125 patients (48%) underwent primary surgery and 102 patients (84%) had clear margins. The tumor volume was not an independent factor for CR at the primary tumor site. Risk of death increased by 1.4% per mL of tumor volume (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.8%-2.0%; P < .001). The OS was better in patients treated with primary surgery, if the tumor volume was ≤12 mL (P < .001). Risk of involved margins increased by 4.5% per mL of tumor volume (95% CI 0.9%-8.3%; P = .003). The predicted probability of clear margins was ≥80% in tumor volumes ≤ 16 mL. The tumor volume had an impact on CR, OS, and clear margins. The tumor volume may also aid in selecting HNSCC treatment.

Predictive and prognostic value of tumor volume and its changes during radical radiotherapy of stageIII non-small cell lung cancer : Asystematic review.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. StageIII non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) includes heterogeneous presentation of the disease including lymph node involvement and large tumour volumes with infiltration of the mediastinum, heart or spine. In the treatment of stageIII NSCLC an interdisciplinary approach including radiotherapy is considered standard of care with acceptable toxicity and improved clinical outcome concerning local control. Furthermore, gross tumour volume (GTV) changes during definitive radiotherapy would allow for adaptive replanning which offers normal tissue sparing and dose escalation. A literature review was conducted to describe the predictive value of GTV changes during definitive radiotherapy especially focussing on overall survival. The literature search was conducted in atwo-step review process using PubMed®/Medline® with the key words "stageIII non-small cell lung cancer" and "radiotherapy" and "tumour volume" and "prognostic factors". After final consideration 17, 14 and 9studies with atotal of 2516, 784 and 639 patients on predictive impact of GTV, GTV changes and its impact on overall survival, respectively, for definitive radiotherapy for stageIII NSCLC were included in this review. Initial GTV is an important prognostic factor for overall survival in several studies, but the time of evaluation and the value of histology need to be further investigated. GTV changes during RT differ widely, optimal timing for re-evaluation of GTV and their predictive value for prognosis needs to be clarified. The prognostic value of GTV changes is unclear due to varying study qualities, re-evaluation time and conflicting results. The main findings were that the clinical impact of GTV changes during definitive radiotherapy is still unclear due to heterogeneous study designs with varying quality. Several potential confounding variables were found and need to be considered for future studies to evaluate GTV changes during definitive radiotherapy with respect to treatment outcome.

Prognostic value of tumor volume and radiation dose in moderate-sized hepatocellular carcinoma: A multicenter analysis in Korea (KROG 14-17).

The purpose of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of tumor volume and radiation dose for predicting treatment outcomes in moderate-sized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).A total of 72 patients with unresectable HCC ranging in size from 5 to 10 cm were treated with high-dose radiotherapy including hypofractionated radiotherapy (HRT) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), in 3 institutions from 2003 to 2013. The HRT doses ranged from 33 to 60 Gy in 3 to 10 fractions. The primary endpoint was local progression-free survival (PFS); the secondary endpoints were overall PFS, overall survival (OS), and treatment toxicity.The median follow-up period after radiotherapy was 12.8 months. The local PFS rates at 1 and 2 years were 57.0% and 39.0%, respectively, with a median of 13.6 months. The OS rates at 1 and 2 years were 70.1% and 45.2%, respectively, with a median of 21.1 months. A gross tumor volume (GTV) of 214 cm3 and a total dose of 105 Gy10 were identified as the optimal cutoff values of radiotherapeutic factors for local PFS. Patients with GTV ≤ 214 cm3 and total dose >105 Gy10 had significant higher 2-year local PFS and OS than patients with GTV >214 cm3 and total dose ≤ 105 Gy10 (P = .020 for local PFS, P = .009 for OS).The optimal cutoff values of GTV ≤ 214 cm3 and total dose >105 Gy10 may be useful for predicting survival outcomes when treating moderate-sized HCC with high-dose radiotherapy.

Prognostic value of tumor volume for patients with advanced lung cancer treated with chemotherapy

Background and objectiveWe aim to develop a reference system utilizing computed tomography to calculate changes in tumor volume of lung cancer patients after chemotherapy to assist physicians in clinical treatment and evaluation. MethodsImage processing techniques were used to analyze the computed tomography of lung cancer, locate the tumor, and calculate the tumor volume. The medical indicator was then evaluated and analyzed. We examined the correlation between reduced tumor volume and survival duration of 88 patients after chemotherapy at Tri-Service General Hospital, Taiwan. The innovative survival prediction index was obtained by four statistical methods: receiver operating characteristic curve, Youden index, Kaplan-Meier method, and log rank test. ResultsFrom the image processing techniques, tumor volume from each patient were obtained within an average of 7.25 seconds. The proposed method was shown to achieve rapid positioning of lung tumors and volume reconstruction with an estimation error of 1.92% when calibrated with an irregularly shaped stone. In medical indicator evaluation and analysis, the area below the receiver operating characteristic curve is greater than 0.8, indicating good predictability of the medical index used herein. The Youden index spotted the best cut-off point of volume, and the correlation between the volume's cut-off point and survival time was confirmed again by Kaplan-Meier and log rank test. The p-values were all less than 0.05, presenting a high degree of correlation between the two, indicating that this medical indicator is highly reliable. ConclusionsThe proposed techniques can automatically find the location of tumors in the lung, reconstruct the volume, and calculate changes in volume before and after treatment, thus obtaining an innovative survival prediction index. This will help facilitate early and accurate predictions of disease outcomes during the course of therapy, and categorize patient stratification into risk groups for more efficient therapies.

Tumor volume increases the predictive accuracy of prognosis for gastric cancer: A retrospective cohort study of 3409 patients.

Tumor diameter or T stage does not reflect the actual tumor burden and is not able to estimate accurate prognosis of gastric cancer. The current study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of tumor volume (V) for gastric cancer. A total of 3409 enrolled gastric cancer patients were randomly divided into training set (n = 1705) and validation set (n = 1704). Tumor volume was calculated by the formula V = Tumor diameter × (T stage)2/2. The survival predictive accuracy and prognostic discriminatory ability between different variables and staging systems were analyzed. Four optimal cutoff points for V were obtained in training set (3.5, 8.6, 25.0, 45.0, all P < 0.001). V stage was significantly associated with tumor location, macroscopic type, differentiation degree, tumor diameter, T stage, N stage, vessel invasion, neural invasion and TNM stage (all P < 0.001). V stage was an independent prognostic factor both in training and validation set. V stage showed better predictive accuracy and prognostic discriminatory ability than tumor diameter and T stage. VNM staging system also have advantages in predictive accuracy and prognostic discriminatory ability than TNM staging system. The VNM multivariable model represent good agreement between the predicted survival and actual survival. In conclusion, tumor volume was significantly associated with clinicopathological features and prognosis of gastric cancer. In comparison with TNM staging system, VNM staging system could improve the predictive accuracy and prognostic discriminatory ability for gastric cancer.

Prognostic value and predictive threshold of tumor volume for patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

BackgroundGross target volume of primary tumor (GTV-P) is very important for the prognosis prediction of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but it is unknown whether the same is true for locally advanced NPC patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). This study aimed to clarify the prognostic value of tumor volume for patient with locally advanced NPC receiving IMRT and to find a suitable cut-off value of GTV-P for prognosis prediction.MethodsClinical data of 358 patients with locally advanced NPC who received IMRT were reviewed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify the cut-off values of GTV-P for the prediction of different endpoints [overall survival (OS), local relapse-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and disease-free survival (DFS)] and to test the prognostic value of GTV-P when compared with that of the American Joint Committee on Cancer T staging system.ResultsThe 358 patients with locally advanced NPC were divided into two groups by the cut-off value of GTV-P as determined using ROC curves: 219 (61.2%) patients with GTV-P ≤46.4 mL and 139 (38.8%) with GTV-P >46.4 mL. The 3-year OS, LRFS, DMFS, and DFS rates were all higher in patients with GTV-P ≤46.4 mL than in those with GTV-P > 46.4 mL (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that GTV-P >46.4 mL was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for patient survival. The ROC curve verified that the predictive ability of GTV-P was superior to that of T category (P < 0.001). The cut-off values of GTV-P for the prediction of OS, LRFS, DMFS, and DFS were 46.4, 57.9, 75.4 and 46.4 mL, respectively.ConclusionIn patients with locally advanced NPC, GTV-P >46.4 mL is an independent unfavorable prognostic indicator for survival after IMRT, with a prognostic value superior to that of T category.

Total intraglandular and index tumor volumes predict biochemical recurrence in prostate cancer.

Prognostic value of tumor volume for biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer remains controversial. We aimed to determine which tumor volume definition would optimally correlate with established prognostic factors and classify macroscopic tumor configuration. Radical prostatectomy specimens with follow-up to biochemical recurrence in the period between 2009 and 2012 were retrieved. Newly proposed categories of reconstructed three-dimensional macroscopic tumor configuration were nodular, medial prominence, subcapsular spreading, and miliary types. Several algorithms were applied to identify optimal tumor volume including (1) combined volume of all nodules, (2) volume of largest nodule as index tumor, and (3) volume of nodule with strongest evidence of poor prognosis. Macroscopic typing correlated well with radiologic findings, and nodular type was most common (70.7%). In most multifocal tumors, the largest nodule showed the highest Gleason score (90.8%) as well as extraprostatic extension or seminal vesicle invasion (93.5%). Total tumor and index tumor volumes were significant predictors of biochemical recurrence (both, P<0.0001). Tumor volume, classified in three groups with cutoff values at 2 and 5cm(3), was independently predictive of recurrence-free survival in multivariate analysis (P<0.05) and surpassed bilaterality even in stage pT2. In pT2 disease, recurrence-free survival was significantly associated with total tumor volume (P=0.003) and index tumor volume (P=0.002), but not with pT2 substage (P=0.278). The proposed macroscopic classification system can be correlated with preoperative imaging findings. Total tumor or index tumor volume significantly predicts biochemical recurrence. Tumor volume classification is easy to apply in practice with high reproducibility and offsets the limitations of pT classification.

Definition of Insignificant Tumor Volume of Gleason Score 3 + 3 = 6 (Grade Group 1) Prostate Cancer at Radical Prostatectomy—Is it Time to Increase the Threshold?

We investigated the tumor volume of insignificant Gleason score 3 + 3= 6 (Grade Group 1) prostate cancer with contemporary grading. We studied 439 consecutive radical prostatectomies with Gleason score 3 + 3 = 6 (Grade Group 1) cancer entirely submitted for histological examination. A total of 407 cases (92.7%) were organ confined (pT2), 17 (3.9%) had a positive margin at the apex (pT2+) and 15 (3.4%) had extraprostatic extension (pT3a). Extraprostatic extension was focal in 10 cases and nonfocal in 5. pT2 and pT3 cases did not differ by age or gland weight. When total tumor volume was less than 0.5 cm3, 6 of 311 tumors (1.9%) had extraprostatic extension and 6 of 311 (1.9%) had tumor at the margin at the apex for a total of 12 significant cancers (3.8%). Tumor volumes between 0.5 and 1.0 and 1.0 and 2.0 cm3 had a similar incidence of significant cancers. Of 108 cases with a tumor volume of 0.5 to 2.0 cm3 5(4.6%) had extraprostatic extension and 7 (6.5%) had pT2+ at the apex for a total of 12 significant cancers (11.1%). The incidence of significant cancer increased further with tumor volumes greater than 2.0 cm3. Only 3.8% of less than 0.5 cm3 Gleason score 3 + 3 = 6 (Grade Group 1) cancers had extraprostatic extension or extended apically where surgical removal was not possible. In contrast, 11.1% of 0.5 to 2.0 cm3 cancers had these adverse features and would not have been tumors amenable to active surveillance. Our data indicate that increasing the threshold above 0.5 cm3 is associated with a significantly increased likelihood of extraprostatic extension and positive surgical margins. This should be considered in future studies of the prognostic value of tumor volume and in studies of active surveillance criteria.

Predictive Value of Estimated Tumor Volume Measured by Ultrasonography for Occult Central Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

The clinical and prognostic value of tumor volume in various solid tumors has been investigated. However, there have been few studies on the clinical impact of tumor volume in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This study was performed to investigate the predictive value of estimated tumor volume measured by ultrasonography for occult central neck metastasis (OCNM) of PTC. A total of 264 patients with clinically node-negative PTC on ultrasonography and computed tomography who underwent total thyroidectomy in conjunction with at least ipsilateral prophylactic central neck dissection were enrolled in this study. Tumor volume was derived with the formula used to calculate ellipsoids from two orthogonal scans during 2-D ultrasonography at initial aspiration biopsy. We retrospectively evaluated demographic characteristics, pre-operative ultrasonographic features (tumor size, volume and multifocality) and pathologic results. The OCNM rate was 35.6%; estimated tumor volume was used to predict OCNM (p = 0.035). At 0.385 mL, sensitivity and specificity were 51.1% and 66.5%, and the area under the curve for OCNM detection was 0.610. In multivariate analysis, tumor volume, but not size, was an independent predictive factor for OCNM (odds ratio = 1.83, p = 0.029). The other factors were extrathyroidal extension (odds ratio = 2.39, p = 0.004) and male gender (odds ratio = 3.90, p < 0.001). The estimated tumor volume of PTC measured by ultrasonography could be a pre-operative predictor of OCNM.

Importance of tumor volume in supraglottic and glottic laryngeal carcinoma

The aim of our study was to assess the prognostic value of tumor volume compared to and in addition to T-stage on local control (LC), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) in glottic and supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma patients. In 150 patients, we determined tumor volume on diagnostic CT scans. We applied crude and multivariable Cox regression analysis to relate volume (continuous), T-stage and the combination to 5-year DFS, OS, and LC. Before, we examined the linearity assumption of the association between volume and outcome with restricted cubic spline functions. Prognostic performance of the models was examined by determination of the model's discrimination. Discriminative ability was determined with the C statistic referring to the ability to discriminate between patients who do and do not develop an event during follow-up. A strong association between tumor volume and DFS and OS was found. The restricted cubic spline plot did not indicate a non-linear relationship between tumor volume and DFS and local control. Tumor volume demonstrated a better discriminative ability to predict DFS and OS compared to T-stage (0.68 and 0.57 vs. 0.59 and 0.54, respectively). For local control, T-stage showed a higher discriminative ability than tumor volume (0.63 vs. 0.61). The combined model increased discriminative power (0.69). Volume seems to be more important than T-stage in prediction of DFS or OS in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients. Perhaps prediction of DFS, OS, and LC could be improved by including tumor volume into the staging process.

Prognostic value of tumor volume for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with concurrent chemotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy

We aimed to analyze prognostic factors in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with concurrent chemotherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT); in addition, we aimed to elucidate the value of primary gross tumor volume (GTVp) in predicting prognosis of patients. Between February 2001 and December 2008, 321 patients with NPC treated with concurrent chemotherapy and IMRT were analyzed retrospectively. GTVp was calculated from treatment planning computed tomography scans. A receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to determine the best cutoff point of GTVp. The 5-year local failure-free survival (LFFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) for NPC patients were 93.8, 80.1, 73.0, and 83.7%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that GTVp had exhibited a statistically significant correlation with LFFS, DMFS, DFS, and OS (P<0.05, all), whereas T classification was not an independent prognostic factor. According to ROC curve analysis, 49and 19mL were determined as the cutoff points of GTVp for local control and distant metastasis, respectively. Based on this, 321 patients were divided into three volume subgroups. LFFS, DMFS, DFS, and OS demonstrated significant differences among patients in different volume subgroups (P<0.001, all) and were superior to T classification for predicting prognosis of NPC patients. Primary gross tumor volume is an independent prognostic factor in local control, distant metastasis, disease-free survival, and overall survival in NPC. An adjusted TNM staging system that includes GTVp as a quantitative indicator to evaluate prognosis is warranted.