To evaluate the prognostic value of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) derived from difusionweighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and monitor the early treatment response to induction chemotherapy (IC) with plasma EBV DNA in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). | Liu et al. BMC Cancer 2021 21 1320 https s12885-021-09063-1 RESEARCH Open Access Percent change in apparent diffusion coefficient and plasma EBV DNA after induction chemotherapy identifies distinct prognostic response phenotypes in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma Li Ting Liu1 2 Shan Shan Guo1 2 Hui Li1 3 Chao Lin1 2 Rui Sun1 2 Qiu Yan Chen1 2 Yu Jing Liang1 2 Qing Nan Tang1 2 Xue Song Sun1 2 Lin Quan Tang1 2 Chuan Miao Xie1 3 and Hai Qiang Mai1 2 Abstract Background To evaluate the prognostic value of the apparent diffusion coefficient ADC derived from diffusion- weighted magnetic resonance imaging MRI and monitor the early treatment response to induction chemotherapy IC with plasma EBV DNA in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma LA-NPC . Results A total of 307 stage III-IVb NPC patients were prospectively enrolled. All patients underwent MRI examina tions to calculate ADC and plasma EBV DNA measurements pretreatment and post-IC. The participants ADC value of 284 307 increased post-IC. A higher percent change in ADC value ΔADC high group post-IC was associated with a higher 5-year OS rate vs p Liu et al. BMC Cancer 2021 21 1320 Page 2 of 9 advanced NPC LA-NPC the curative effects of induc- November 2016 we recruited 386 biopsy-confirmed tion chemotherapy IC followed by concurrent chemo- newly diagnosed NPC patients. Inclusion criteria are therapy CCRT have been investigated for the past listed as follows 1 age 18 years old 2 stage III-IVb decade 4 6 . An increasing number of clinical trials disease according to the seventh edition of the Interna- have shown that IC is a relatively safe and effective treat- tional Union Against Cancer American Joint Commit- ment method for LA-NPC that significantly improves tee on Cancer staging system 3 score of 0 or 1 on the clinical outcomes 7 8 . Benefiting from the development Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group ECOG perfor- of radiation techniques and multimodality therapies the .
