Mariana Reza, Mattias Ohlsson, Reza Kaboteh, Aseem Anand, Ingela Franck-Lissbrant, Jan-Erik Damber, Anders Widmark, Camilla Thellenberg-Karlsson, Lars Budäus, Thomas Steuber, Till Eichenauer, Per Wollmer, Lars Edenbrandt, Elin Trägårdh and Anders Bjartell
Bone Scan Index as an Imaging Biomarker in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: A Multicentre Study Based on Patients Treated with Abiraterone Acetate (Zytiga) in Clinical Practice
LU TP 16-06

Abstract:
Background
Abiraterone acetate (AA) prolongs survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. To measure treatment response accurately in bone, quantitative methods are needed. The Bone Scan Index (BSI), a prognostic imaging biomarker, reflects the tumour burden in bone as a percentage of the total skeletal mass calculated from bone scintigraphy.

Objective
To evaluate the value of BSI as a biomarker for outcome evaluation in mCRPC patients on treatment with AA according to clinical routine.

Design, setting, and participants
We retrospectively studied 104 mCRPC patients who received AA following disease progression after chemotherapy. All patients underwent whole-body bone scintigraphy before and during AA treatment. Baseline and follow-up BSI data were obtained using EXINI BoneBSI software (EXINI Diagnostics AB, Lund, Sweden).

Outcome measurements and statistical analysis
Associations between change in BSI, clinical parameters at follow-up, and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using the Cox proportional hazards regression models and Kaplan-Meier estimates. Discrimination between variables was assessed using the concordance index (C-index).

Results and limitations
Patients with an increase in BSI at follow-up of at most 0.30 (n = 54) had a significantly longer median survival time than those with an increase of BSI >0.30 (n = 50) (median: 16 vs 10 mo; p = 0.001). BSI change was also associated with OS in a multivariate Cox analysis including commonly used clinical parameters for prognosis (C-index = 0.7; hazard ratio: 1.1; p = 0.03). The retrospective design was a limitation.

Conclusions
Change in BSI was significantly associated with OS in mCRPC patients undergoing AA treatment following disease progression in a postchemotherapy setting. BSI may be a useful imaging biomarker for outcome evaluation in this group of patients, and it could be a valuable complementary tool in monitoring patients with mCRPC on second-line therapies.

Patient summary
Bone Scan Index (BSI) change is related to survival time in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients on abiraterone acetate. BSI may be a valuable complementary decision-making tool supporting physicians monitoring patients with mCRPC on second-line therapies.



LU TP 16-06