Carbon-11-methionine uptake in squamous cell head and neck cancer.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether uptake of L-methyl-[11C]-methionine in a tumor is related to the survival of patients with squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. Thirty-nine patients (median age 64 yr) with newly diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck entered a PET study with [11C]-methionine before therapy. Tumor [11C]-methionine uptake was measured as standardized uptake values (SUVs), and the PET results were compared with the clinical follow-up data of the patients. All except one of the malignant lesions within the field of view were visible by [11C]-methionine PET. The median tumor SUV was 9.0 (range 4.0-18.8). The median follow-up time for patients still alive is currently 44 mo (range 14-66 mo). No difference in survival was found between patients with tumor SUV equal to or larger than the median and those with tumor SUV smaller than the median. Carbon-11-methionine PET imaging is effective in squamous cell head and neck cancer. The amount of [11C]-methionine uptake does not predict the clinical outcome.