Evidence mapPaperPMID 42595801Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging2026

Prognostic value of different metabolic response criteria in patients with advanced melanoma treated with immunotherapy: a comparative analysis of PECRIT, PERCIMT, and EORTC criteria.

Andrea Di Giorgio, Francesca Comito, Norma Bonazzi, Giacomo Battisti, Valentino Dragonetti, Paola Valeria Marchese, Rachele Pagani, Marta Aprile, Claudio Malizia, Barbara Melotti and 3 more

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Article in European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Andrea Di GiorgioNuclear Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, 40126, Italy.
Francesca ComitoMedical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via P. Albertoni 15, Bologna, 40138, Italy. comito.francesca@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8591-0788
Norma BonazziDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Giacomo BattistiDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Valentino DragonettiDivision of Nuclear Medicine, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
Paola Valeria MarcheseMedical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via P. Albertoni 15, Bologna, 40138, Italy.
Rachele PaganiMedical Oncology, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Marta AprileMedical Oncology, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Claudio MaliziaNuclear Medicine Unit, Oncology and Haematology Department, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy.
Barbara MelottiMedical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via P. Albertoni 15, Bologna, 40138, Italy.
Andrea ArdizzoniMedical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via P. Albertoni 15, Bologna, 40138, Italy.
Stefano FantiNuclear Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, 40126, Italy.
Cristina NanniNuclear Medicine, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, 40138, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe optimal [18 F]FDG-PET/CT criteria for assessing metabolic response to immunotherapy in melanoma remain debated. This study aimed to compare the prognostic performance of PECRIT, PERCIMT, and EORTC criteria in a cohort of advanced melanoma patients.

methodsWe retrospectively evaluated patients with advanced melanoma undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy who underwent baseline and interim [18 F]FDG-PET/CT scans. A per-patient metabolic response was categorized as Complete (CMR), Partial (PMR), Stable (SMD), or Progressive Metabolic Disease (PMD) using PECRIT, PERCIMT, and EORTC criteria. Baseline tumor burden was assessed by lesion count and volumetric parameters (MTV, TLG) were explored. Response agreement between criteria was evaluated, and survival analysis (Overall Survival, OS, and Progression-Free Survival, PFS) was performed using Kaplan-Meier and Log-rank tests. Patients were further dichotomized into Disease Control Group (DCG: CMR + PMR+SMD) versus No-DCG (PMD), and Objective Response Group (ORG: CMR + PMR) versus Non-ORG (SMD + PMD).

resultsA total of 46 patients were included. At a median follow-up of 29.1 months, 30/46 patients (65%) progressed and 22/46 (48%) died, with a median OS of 24.6 months (IQR 13.9-41.4) and a median PFS of 10.7 months (IQR 5.3-24.7) for the entire cohort. Specifically, discordance between criteria occurred in 16/46 (35%) cases, predominantly involving PECRIT/EORTC PMD versus PERCIMT SMD (8 cases, 50% of the discordant cases). Prognostic analysis revealed significant differences in PFS and OS between response groups across all three evaluated criteria. Patients in the DCG had significantly longer PFS across all criteria (all p ≤ 0.012), and patients in the ORG had s significantly longer OS for PECRIT (p = 0.039) and EORTC (p = 0.003).

conclusionAll three criteria provide valuable prognostic insights for survival in immunotherapy-treated melanoma. However, notable discordance exists in response classification, particularly regarding the definition of progressive disease. The dichotomized approach (DCG/ORG) appears to represent a promising, clinically relevant tool to consolidate metabolic response assessment, facilitating a more consistent prediction of patient outcomes in the clinical setting.

Indexed as

Advanced MelanomaFDG PET/CTImmunotherapyResponse Criteria

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.