Sarcopenia and Comorbidity in Gastric Cancer Surgery as a Useful Combined Factor to Predict Eventual Death from Other Causes

Poor nutritional status and sarcopenia influences survival outcomes in gastric carcinoma patients undergoing radical surgery

BACKGROUND

The survival impacts of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and sarcopenia have been separately investigated in patients with gastric carcinoma (GC), while the prognostic impact of the combination of them remains to be addressed.

METHODS

In total, 1166 GC patients undergoing radical gastrectomy were retrospectively reviewed. A new prognostic score (PNIS) was developed based on preoperative PNI and sarcopenia; patients with both low PNI (≤44.8) and sarcopenia were allocated a score of 2, and those with only one or neither of these abnormalities were assigned a score of 1 or 0, respectively.

RESULTS

A lower PNI was independently associated with sarcopenia (P = 0.007). There were 704 (60.4%), 356 (30.5%) and 106 (9.1%) patients in the PNIS 0, 1 and 2 groups, respectively. A higher PNIS was associated with advanced age (P < 0.001) and a higher incidence of postoperative complications (P = 0.01). Patients with PNIS 2 showed significantly poorer overall survival (OS) than those with PNIS 1 or 0 (5-year OS; 57.8% vs. 79.2% vs. 91.6%, P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox hazards analysis showed PNIS 2 to be a powerful predictor of poor OS (HR 5.73, P < 0.001) in patients with pStage I disease, while not being independently associated with OS in those with pStage II/III disease. Patients with PNIS 2 had a markedly higher prevalence of non-GC-related death than those with scores of 0-1.

CONCLUSION

The scoring system combining PNI and sarcopenia is useful for predicting survival outcomes, especially non-GC-related death, in patients with early GC, a population with basically good oncological outcomes.

Assessment of body composition and impact of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in patients with gastric cancer

Malnutrition is a critical problem in patients with gastric cancer (GC); however, no universally accepted marker that is convenient for clinical use has been defined. Recently, body composition has attracted considerable attention as a means to assess nutrition status in patients with cancer. The clinical role of skeletal muscle mass has also been increasingly recognized. In patients with GC, sarcopenia, which is the loss of skeletal muscle mass, was found to be significantly associated with increased post-surgical complications including hospital stay, healthcare costs, and poor survival. In addition, sarcopenic obesity, which combines the health risks of obesity and sarcopenia, is recognized as a strong risk factor for poor short- and long-term outcomes following gastrectomy. The mechanism linking sarcopenia to worse postoperative outcomes remains unclear; however, skeletal muscle has been found to act as an endocrine organ that produces substances affecting the immune system. In addition, sarcopenia was reported to be associated with toxicity and termination of chemotherapy. Patients with sarcopenia may be unable to react appropriately to the stress of gastrectomy and perioperative chemotherapy. To improve the short- and long-term outcomes of patients with GC and sarcopenia, adequate energy and protein intake are necessary during resistance training. In the present study, we performed a literature review and presented a method to evaluate body composition, the relationship between skeletal muscle mass and GC, and perioperative nutrition and exercise therapy for patients with sarcopenia.

Prognostic impact of low muscle mass and low muscle density in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Low muscle mass (LMM) and low muscle density (LMD) are increasingly recognized as prognostic factors for survival in different malignancies. This study determined the association of LMM and LMD with survival in DLBCL (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) patients. CT-based measurement of muscle was performed in 164 DLBCL patients prior to chemo-immunotherapy. Z-scores adjusted for gender, age, and body mass index were derived from a healthy reference population. LMM or LMD were defined as a Z-score below -1 and were related to OS and PFS. The co-existence of both LMM and LMD was observed in 13% of the DLBCL patients and was significantly associated with shorter OS and PFS. Also, these patients more often did not complete the planned treatment. The combination of LMM and LMD is an independent prognostic factor for survival in DLBCL patients. This may guide clinical decision-making in patients with suspected insufficient performance to benefit from chemo-immunotherapy in standard doses.Key pointsPatients with DLBCL have low muscle mass (LMM) and low muscle density (LMD) compared to healthy counterparts.The combination of LMM and LMD is a negative prognostic factor for survival, independent of comorbidities and unfavorable lymphoma characteristics.

Pre- and post-operative low prognostic nutritional index influences survival in older patients with gastric carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

The survival impact of the preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) has been investigated in older patients with gastric carcinoma (GC), while that of the postoperative PNI has yet to be addressed. We evaluated the significance of PNI before and after surgery in older GC patients (≥75 years).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In total, 309 older GC patients undergoing radical gastrectomy between 2006 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The PNI was evaluated before and at six months after gastrectomy. Patients were divided into low (<45) and high (≥45) PNI groups. The impact of low PNI on overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and non-GC-related death were investigated.

RESULTS

Low PNI was present in 134 patients (43.4%) preoperatively and 121 (39.2%) postoperatively. Low pre-PNI was independently associated with poor overall survival (P < .001). Similarly, OS was significantly stratified by post-PNI (P < .001). The significant survival difference according to post-PNI was present only in pStage I disease (P < .001). Low post-PNI independently increased the risk of non-GC-related death in a multivariable analysis (P = .002). In contrast, CSS was not stratified by post-PNI (P = .45). In the high pre-PNI group, total gastrectomy and super-older age (≥80 years) independently increased the risk of low post-PNI, which was significantly associated with poor survival outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Pre- and post-operative PNI are useful for predicting long-term outcomes in older patients with GC. Low postoperative PNI is a powerful determinant of mortality due to other diseases. Optimal perioperative management is required for those at high risk of malnutrition postoperatively.

Computed tomography-measured body composition: correlation with postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients with gastroesophageal cancer

Objective

To determine whether preoperative anthropometric and computed tomography (CT) measurements of body composition can predict postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients with gastric or esophageal cancer.

Materials and Methods

This was a retrospective study in which we reviewed the medical records and abdominal CT scans of patients with gastric or esophageal cancer who underwent surgery in 2015 at a cancer center. CT scans performed during routine preoperative evaluation were retrospectively assessed to measure the area of lean body mass at the level of the third lumbar vertebra, as well as the area of visceral and subcutaneous fat.

Results

Seventy patients were included in the study. The mean age was 59.9 years (range, 33-82 years), and 47 patients (67.1%) were men. The mean postoperative follow-up period was 14.9 months. Neither postoperative morbidity nor postoperative mortality correlated significantly with gender, age, the type of primary tumor, the presence of comorbidities, smoking status, body mass index, nutritional status, or visceral fat area. The survival rate was higher for patients with normal lean body mass than for those with low lean body mass (hazard ratio = 0.116; 95% confidence interval: 0.015-0.906; p = 0.040).

Conclusion

Our data suggest that lean body mass can be a relevant prognostic factor in patients with gastric or esophageal cancer, and that CT measurements should be included in the routine preoperative evaluation, because it may provide information that aids nutritional and clinical care for these patients.

Long-Term Outcome in Gastric Cancer Patients with Different Body Composition Score Assessed via Computed Tomography

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to assess the body composition score (BCS) impact on 3-year survival after radical gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients with gastric cancer from September 2015 to June 2017. The patients were divided into three groups: BCS0 (having normal skeletal muscle or adipose mass), BCS1 (having low skeletal muscle mass only), and BCS2 (having low skeletal muscle and adipose mass) according to their third lumbar vertebra skeletal muscle index and fat index calculated using abdominal computed tomography. The clinicopathological indicators, postoperative complications, 3-year over survival (OS) rate after radical gastrectomy, and cause of death among the three groups were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 187 patients were enrolled in the study, in which 102 patients (54.6%) had BCS0, 76 (40.6%) had BCS1 and 9 (4.8%) had BCS2. There was no significant difference in postoperative complications among the groups. 3-year OS was significantly shortened with each 1-score increase in BCS (Log-rank p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that no neoadjuvant chemotherapy, tumor stage III, BCS1, and BCS2 were independent prognostic factors for 3-year OS after radical gastrectomy. The main cause of death was cancer-related.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that BCS1 and BCS2 were strongly associated with poor 3-year survival for patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy, suggesting that special attention may be required for nutritional support while determining therapeutic strategies.

The Predictive Value of Low Muscle Mass as Measured on CT Scans for Postoperative Complications and Mortality in Gastric Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Risk assessment is relevant to predict outcomes in patients with gastric cancer. This systematic review aimed to investigate the predictive value of low muscle mass for postoperative complications in gastric cancer patients. A systematic literature search was performed to identify all articles reporting on muscle mass as measured on computed tomography (CT) scans in patients with gastric cancer. After full text screening, 15 articles reporting on 4887 patients were included. Meta-analysis demonstrated that patients with low muscle mass had significantly higher odds of postoperative complications (odds ratio (OR): 2.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.55–2.83) and severe postoperative complications (Clavien–Dindo grade ≥III, OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.14–2.63). Moreover, patients with low muscle mass had a significantly higher overall mortality (hazard ratio (HR): 1.81, 95% CI: 1.52–2.14) and disease-specific mortality (HR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.36–1.84). In conclusion, assessment of muscle mass on CT scans is a potential relevant clinical tool for risk prediction in gastric cancer patients. Considering the heterogeneity in definitions applied for low muscle mass on CT scans in the included studies, a universal cutoff value of CT-based low muscle mass is required for more reliable conclusions.

Muscle mass, assessed at diagnosis by L3-CT scan as a prognostic marker of clinical outcomes in patients with gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Computed tomographic (CT) imaging at third lumbar vertebra (L3), routinely used by oncologists, represents a reliable tool to quantify muscle mass. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the efficacy of CT scan to define muscle mass as a prognostic marker in gastric cancer (GC) patients undergoing gastrectomy and/or chemotherapy. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) and the secondary outcomes included postoperative length of hospital stay (P-LOS), total and severe complications in GC patients undergoing gastrectomy.

METHODS

Three electronic bibliographic databases - MEDLINE, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials - were used to conduct a systematic literature search based on fixed inclusion and exclusion criteria, until April 2019. The adjusted and unadjusted hazard ratio (HR), odds ratio (OR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to analyse the dichotomous variables (OS, RFS, total and severe complications) and continuous variables (P-LOS). Random- and fixed effects models were used according to the heterogeneity.

RESULTS

A total of 5610 GC patients from 20 studies were identified. Low muscle mass at diagnosis was found in 32.7% of GC patients and was significantly associated with poorer OS (HR 2.02, 95% CI 1.71-2.38, p < 0.00001, I² = 47%) and worse RFS (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.71-2.26, p < 0.00001, I² = 0%). Meta-analysis of adjusted HR from multivariable analyses confirmed the association between OS and low muscle mass (HR 1.89, 95% CI 1.68-2.12, p < 0.00001, I² = 36%). Furthermore, low muscle mass and poorer OS were significantly associated in metastatic GC patients exclusively undergoing chemotherapy (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.23-2.11, p < 0.0006, I² = 18%). Moreover, preoperative low muscle mass was significantly associated with longer P-LOS (MD 1.19, 95% CI 0.68-1.71, p < 0.00001, I² = 0%), higher risk of postoperative complications (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.17-2.66, p = 0.007, I² = 77%) and severe complications (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.03-2.29, p = 0.04, I² = 49%) in GC patients undergoing gastrectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Low muscle mass, assessed by L3 CT-scan, affects almost 1/3 of GC patients at diagnosis and acts as a negative prognostic marker on many clinical outcomes. Therefore, identifying GC patients with low muscle mass at diagnosis or at follow-up visit should be recommendable. Clinical nutritionists should be part of tumor boards meetings to screen low muscle mass in order to prompt personalized nutritional support.

Impact of remnant stomach volume and anastomosis on nutrition and body composition in gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND

In gastrectomy for gastric cancer, oncologic safety including secure resection margin is considered important while less attention is given to maximizing remnant stomach volume (RSV). Nutrition and body composition are important postoperative factors for patient well-being. In this prospective observational study, we investigated the effects of RSV and anastomosing method on nutrition, anemia, and body composition change.

METHODS

We enrolled 247 patients who underwent curative laparoscopic gastrectomy (Billroth-1: 111, Billroth-2: 31, Roux-en-Y: 38, total gastrectomy: 67) for stage 1 gastric cancer between 2015 and 2016. Their clinicodemographic characteristics and laboratory data were collected. RSV, area of abdominal muscle, and subcutaneous/visceral fat were measured using CT data.

RESULTS

Patients with larger RSV and those who underwent Billroth-1 exhibited smaller reduction in hemoglobin and nutritional parameters during the first three postoperative months, and showed better recovery in the aforementioned variables as well in the first postoperative year. Visceral fat was the most affected factor by gastrectomy, and abdominal muscle and subcutaneous/visceral fat were better preserved in patients with larger RSV. The proportion of sarcopenic patients was also the smallest in the Billroth-1 group and larger RSV group. Patients who underwent total gastrectomy showed the highest degree of deterioration in all parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Estimating RSV and body composition by using CT offers valuable clinical information. The Billroth-1 procedure and larger RSV were associated with better postoperative nutritional variables and reduced prevalence of sarcopenia among gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy. When performing gastrectomy in stage 1 gastric cancer patients, RSV should be considered.

Effects of weight loss and sarcopenia on response to chemotherapy, quality of life, and survival

It has frequently been shown that patients with cancer are one of the largest hospital patient groups with a prevalence for malnutrition. Weight loss is a frequent manifestation of malnutrition in patients with cancer. Several large-scale studies over the past 35 y have reported that involuntary weight loss affects 50% to 80% of these patients with the degree of weight loss dependent on tumor site and type and stage of disease. The aim of this review was to determine the consequences of malnutrition, weight loss, and muscle wasting in relation to chemotherapy tolerance, postoperative complications, quality of life, and survival in patients with cancer. The prognostic impact of weight loss on overall survival has long been recognised with recent data suggesting losses as little as 2.4% predicts survival independent of disease, site, stage or performance score. Recently the use of gold-standard methods of body composition assessment, including computed tomography, have led to an increased understanding of the importance of muscle abnormalities, such as low muscle mass (sarcopenia), and more recently low muscle attenuation, as important prognostic indicators of unfavourable outcomes in patients with cancer. Muscle abnormalities are highly prevalent (ranging from 10-90%, depending on cancer site and the diagnostic criteria used). Both low muscle mass and low muscle attenuation have been associated with poorer tolerance to chemotherapy; increased risk of postoperative complications; significant deterioration in a patients' performance status, and poorer psychological well-being, overall quality of life, and survival.

Body composition assessment and sarcopenia in patients with gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

There has recently been increased interest in the assessment of body composition in patients with gastric cancer for the purpose of prognostication. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the current literature on body composition assessment in patients with gastric cancer and its impact on peri-operative outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted for studies reporting assessment of body composition in patients with gastric cancers. Meta-analysis of postoperative outcomes (overall and major complications, anastomotic leaks, pulmonary complications) and survival was performed using random effects models.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine studies reported the assessment of body composition in 8402 patients. Methods used to assess body composition in patients with gastric cancers were computerized tomography (n = 26), bioelectrical impedance analysis (n = 9), and dual-energy-X-ray-absorptiometry (n = 3). Only 21 studies reported the impact of pre-operative sarcopenia on post-operative outcomes. Sarcopenic patients have significantly higher rates of postoperative major complications (n = 12, OR 1.67, CI_95% 1.14-2.46, p = 0.009), and pulmonary (n = 8, OR 4.01, CI_95% 2.23-7.21, p < 0.001) complications after gastrectomy. Meta-analysis of nine studies reporting overall survival after gastrectomy identified significantly worse survival in patients with pre-operative sarcopenia (HR 2.12, CI_95% 1.89-2.38, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Assessment of body composition has the potential to become a clinically useful tool that could support decision-making in patients with gastric cancer. However, variation in methods of assessing and reporting body composition in this patient group limits assessment of current post-operative outcomes.

Sarcopenia as a predictor of poor surgical and oncologic outcomes after abdominal surgery for digestive tract cancer: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Sarcopenia has been widely recognized as an important predictor of poor outcomes in patients with cancer after surgery, but the controversy remains, and its impact on surgical and oncologic outcomes in patients after abdominal surgery for digestive tract cancer is poorly described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of sarcopenia on surgical and oncologic outcomes in patients after abdominal surgery for digestive tract cancer.

METHODS

Six thousand four hundred and forty-seven consecutive patients who underwent abdominal surgery for digestive tract cancer in our institution were prospectively included. Sarcopenia was defined as skeletal muscle index below the lowest sex-specific quartile using computed tomography scan at L3 before surgery. The surgical and oncologic outcomes were recorded, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Sarcopenia was present in 1638 of 6447 patients (25.4%) with digestive tract cancer before surgery based on the diagnostic cut-off values (43.13 cm²/m² for men and 37.81 cm²/m² for women). The incidence of postoperative total and pulmonary complications, and 30-day readmission were significantly higher in sarcopenic group than in nonsarcopenic group (37.4% vs 12.9%, P < 0.001; 3.1% vs 2.1%, P = 0.026; 1.1% vs 0.4%, P = 0.003, respectively). The postoperative hospital stay was significantly longer in sarcopenic patients (9.42 ± 3.40 vs 8.51 ± 3.17 days, P < 0.001). There were significantly more patients receiving postoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy in sarcopenic group than in nonsarcopenic group (73.1% vs 69.2%, P = 0.003; 10.6% vs 8.8%, P = 0.038, respectively), and patients with sarcopenia had significantly more chemotherapy modifications including delay, dose reduction, or termination (48.5% vs 44.2%, P = 0.018). In addition, during the follow-up period, sarcopenic patients had significantly lower rate of overall survival and disease-free survival than nonsarcopenic patients (53.9% vs 69.3%, P = 0.002; 36.8% vs 59.7%, P = 0.000, respectively). In multivariate analysis, sarcopenia was found to be a risk factor for postoperative complications [odds ratio (OR) = 5.418, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.986-9.828, P < 0.001], and was an unfavorable prognostic factor for poor overall survival [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.649, 95% CI = 0.426-0.991, P = 0.045] and disease-free survival (HR = 0.514, 95% CI = 0.348-0.757, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia could be used as a strong and independent prognostic factor for poor surgical and oncologic outcomes in patients after abdominal surgery for digestive tract cancer. Identification of preoperative sarcopenia in digestive surgery for cancer and targeted approaches may improve its negative outcomes.

Marked Loss of Muscle, Visceral Fat, or Subcutaneous Fat After Gastrectomy Predicts Poor Survival in Advanced Gastric Cancer: Single-Center Study from the CLASSIC Trial

BACKGROUND

There is increasing interest in the influence of body composition on oncological outcomes. We evaluated the role of skeletal muscle and fat among patients with gastric cancer (GC) who underwent gastrectomy with or without adjuvant chemotherapy, as well as those changes' associations with survival outcomes.

METHODS

The present study evaluated 136 patients with GC who were enrolled in the CLASSIC Trial at Yonsei Cancer Center. Baseline body compositions including skeletal muscle area, Hounsfield units (HU), visceral fat area, and subcutaneous fat area were measured by preoperative computed tomography (CT). CT before and after the gastrectomy were used to determine the 6-month relative changes in body composition parameters. Continuous variables were dichotomized according to the best cutoff values by Contal and O'Quigley method.

RESULTS

Seventy-three patients (53.7%) underwent surgery alone, and 63 patients (46.3%) underwent surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. The baseline body composition parameters were not associated with disease-free survival (DFS) or overall survival (OS). Except for the HU, the marked loss of muscle, visceral fat, or subcutaneous fat significantly predicted shorter DFS and OS. Patients with a marked loss in at least one significant body composition parameter had significantly shorter DFS (hazard ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.7-4.8, P < 0.001) and OS (hazard ratio 2.9, 95% confidence interval 1.7-5.0, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Marked loss in body composition parameters significantly predicted shorter DFS and OS among patients with GC who underwent gastrectomy. Postoperative nutrition and active healthcare interventions could improve the prognosis of these GC patients.