Journal Article

Comparison between MRI and pathology in the assessment of tumour regression grade in rectal cancer

Wotherspoon, Andrew, Oates, Jacqui, Begum, Ruwaida, Glimelius, Bengt, Chau, Ian, Tabernero, Josep, Peckitt, Clare, Roselló, Susana, Mendes, Larissa Sena Teixeira, Thomas, Janet, Sclafani, Francesco, Brown, Gina, Tait, Diana, Cunningham, David, Evans, Jessica, Balyasnikova, Svetlana

2017

Overview

Background: Limited data exist regarding the correlation between MRI tumour regression grade (mrTRG) and pathological TRG (pTRG) in rectal cancer. Methods: mrTRG and pTRG were compared in rectal cancer patients from two phase II trials (EXPERT and EXPERT-C). The agreement between radiologist and pathologist was assessed with the weighted κ test while the Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate survival outcomes. Results: One hundred ninety-one patients were included. Median time from completion of neoadjuvant treatment to pre-operative MRI and surgery was 4.1 weeks (interquartile range (IQR): 3.7–4.7) and 6.6 weeks (IQR: 5.9–7.6), respectively. Fair agreement was found between mrTRG and pTRG when regression was classified according to standard five-tier systems ( κ =0.24) or modified three-tier systems ( κ =0.25). Sensitivity and specificity of mrTRG 1–2 (complete/good radiological regression) for the prediction of pathological complete response was 74.4% (95% CI: 58.8–86.5) and 62.8% (95% CI: 54.5–70.6), respectively. Survival outcomes of patients with intermediate pathological regression (pTRG 2) were numerically better if complete/good regression was also observed on imaging (mrTRG 1–2) compared to poor regression (mrTRG 3–5) (5-year recurrence-free survival 76.9% vs 65.9%, P =0.18; 5-year overall survival 80.6% vs 68.8%, P =0.22). Conclusions: The agreement between mrTRG and pTRG is low and mrTRG cannot be used as a surrogate of pTRG. Further studies are warranted to assess the ability of mrTRG to identify pathological complete responders for the adoption of non-operative management strategies and to provide complementary prognostic information to pTRG for better risk-stratification after surgery.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: 631/67/1504/1885/1777 / 631/67/2321 / Adult / Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biomedicine / Cancer / Cancer Research / Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant / Clinical Study / Clinical trials / Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic / Colorectal cancer / Cytodiagnosis - methods / Disease-Free Survival / Drug Resistance / Epidemiology / Female / Humans / Kaplan-Meier Estimate / Magnetic resonance imaging / Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods / magnetic resonance tumour regression grade / Male / Middle Aged / Molecular Medicine / Neoadjuvant Therapy / Neoplasm Staging - methods / Oncology / pathological tumour regression grade / rectal cancer / Rectal Neoplasms - mortality / Rectal Neoplasms - pathology / Rectal Neoplasms - therapy / Rectum / Surgery / Survival / Tumors