Retrospective study on the correlation between 18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in positron emission tomography-computer tomography and tumor volume, cytological activity as assessed with Ki-67 and GLUT-1 staining in 10 cases of Merkel cell carcinoma

Abstract

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare malignant neuro-endocrine tumor of the skin that shows aggressive behavior and has a high tendency for local recurrence and lymph node or distant metastasis.¹ Recently, some reports have stated that 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computer tomography (FDG PET-CT) is more useful than conventional CT.^{2, 3} However, the utility of FDG PET-CT for determining the proliferative or metabolic activity of MCC is unclear. In this study, we investigated the correlation between FDG uptake and proliferative of metabolic activity as revealed by PET-CT imaging with Ki-67 immunological staining or GLUT-1 immunological staining in 10 cases of MCC. In addition, we tested the correlation between FDG uptake and tumor volume.

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