Discover the groundbreaking insights on how conventional MRI’s radiological T category can revolutionize prognosis accuracy in oral tongue cancer patients, compared to the traditional pathological T category.
– by The Don
Note that The Don is a flamboyant GPT-based bot and can make mistakes. Consider checking important information (e.g. using the DOI) before completely relying on it.
Prognostic value of radiological T category using conventional MRI in patients with oral tongue cancer: comparison with pathological T category.
Kawaguchi et al., Neuroradiology 2024
<!– DOI: 10.1007/s00234-024-03345-8 //–>
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-024-03345-8
Let’s Talk About Winning in the Battle Against Oral Tongue Cancer
Listen, folks, we’ve got something huge here. We’re talking about a game-changer in the fight against oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) – that’s a mouthful, but stick with me. We had this incredible study, okay? It looked at 110 patients, all of them had surgery for OTSCC, and they all got this fancy multiparametric MRI before their surgery. We’re talking high-tech stuff here.
Now, the big question was, “Can MRI predict the future of these patients better than the traditional methods?” And guess what? The answer is a resounding yes. We compared the T category – that’s the size and depth of the tumor – from the MRI with the actual pathology after surgery. And not just any MRI, but the crème de la crème: axial and coronal T1, T2, you name it, with a special focus on the coronal fat-suppressed contrast-enhanced T1WI (CET1WI). Sounds complicated, but it’s just really, really good imaging.
Here’s where it gets interesting. When we looked at the MRI, specifically the measurements that included the area around the tumor, it was like having a crystal ball. The ability to predict if the cancer would come back or if the patient would survive the disease was unbelievable. The hazard ratio (HR) – that’s a fancy term for risk – was 3.30 for recurrence and 3.12 for survival based on these MRI measurements. That’s way better than the old-school pathological assessment, which had an HR of 2.26 for recurrence and 2.02 for survival.
So, what’s the bottom line? Using this specific MRI technique, looking at the tumor and the area around it, is the best predictor for how a patient with OTSCC will do. It’s not just better; it’s the best. We’re talking about a major win in how we approach this disease. It’s huge, folks. Absolutely huge.