TP53 mutations and number of alterations correlate with maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) determined by positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) [ 18 F] fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG PET).

Background: Our study explored the relationship between the molecular changes in cancer and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) determined by positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with [18 F] fluorodeoxyglucose (18 F-FDG).

Results: A higher SUVmax correlated with TP53 alterations, but not with histologic diagnosis or other gene/pathway mutations or copy number alterations. In data from breast, lung and colon cancer, patients with the highest SUVmax show more genomic anomalies compared to those with the lowest SUVmax ( P < 0.005).

Conclusions: A higher SUVmax on 18 F-FDG PET/CT is associated with TP53 tumor suppressor gene anomalies and the presence of more genomic anomalies. Since TP53 alterations and high SUVmax both correlate with a poor prognosis, the underlying mechanism/implications of this association merit further study.

Methods: Overall, 176 patients with diverse cancers had a tumor biopsy within 6 months after a PET/CT image for SUVmax measurement. The biopsy was interrogated by next generation sequencing (182 to 315 genes). TP53, EGFR, ALK, MYC, MET and FGF/FGFR genes and DNA repair, PI3K/Akt/mTOR (PAM), MEK, CYCLIN, and WNT pathway genes were analyzed.