Impact of preoperative sarcopenia on postoperative complications and prognosis of gastric cancer resection: A meta-analysis of cohort studies

Impact of preoperative sarcopenia on postoperative complications and prognosis in patients undergoing robotic gastric cancer surgery: A propensity score matching study

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia, defined as decreased muscle mass and function, correlates with postoperative morbidity and mortality in cancer surgery. However, sarcopenia's impact specifically following robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer has not been clearly defined. This study aimed to determine the influence of sarcopenia on short- and long-term clinical outcomes after robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed 381 gastric cancer patients undergoing robotic gastrectomy. Sarcopenia was diagnosed by preoperative computed tomography (CT) body composition analysis. Propensity score matching created 147 pairs of sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia patients for comparison. Outcomes included postoperative complications, survival, inflammatory markers, length of stay, intensive care unit (ICU) transfer, and readmissions.

RESULTS

Sarcopenia patients exhibited significantly higher rates of overall (53.7% versus 21.1%, P < 0.001), serious (12.9% versus 4.1%, P = 0.007), and grade III-IV complications compared to nonsarcopenia pairs after matching. Sarcopenia independently predicted reduced 3-years overall (HR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.19-5.40, P = 0.016) and disease-free survival (HR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.09-3.66, P = 0.026). Sarcopenia patients also showed heightened postoperative leukocyte, neutrophil, platelet, platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), and monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) levels alongside suppressed lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative sarcopenia is correlated with increased postoperative complications and poorer long-term survival in gastric cancer patients undergoing robotic gastrectomy. Sarcopenia assessment can optimize preoperative risk stratification and perioperative management in this population.

CT-based muscle and adipose measurements predict prognosis in patients with digestive system malignancy

The role of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue in the progression of cancer has been gradually discussed, but it needs further exploration. The objective of this study was to provide an in-depth analysis of skeletal muscle and fat in digestive malignancies and to construct novel predictors for clinical management. This is a retrospective study that includes data from Cancer Center, the First Hospital of Jilin University. Basic characteristic information was analyzed by T tests. Correlation matrices were drawn to explore the relationship between CT-related indicators and other indicators. Cox risk regression analyses were performed to analyze the association between the overall survivals (OS) and various types of indicators. A new indicator body composition score (BCS) was then created and a time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to analyze the efficacy of the BCS. Finally, a nomogram was produced to develop a scored-CT system based on BCS and other indicators. C-index and calibration curve analyses were performed to validate the predictive accuracy of the scored-CT system. A total of 575 participants were enrolled in the study. Cox risk regression model revealed that VFD, L3 SMI and VFA/SFA were associated with prognosis of cancer patients. After adjustment, BCS index based on CT was significantly associated with prognosis, both in all study population and in subgroup analysis according to tumor types (all study population: HR 2.036, P < 0.001; colorectal cancer: HR 2.693, P < 0.001; hepatocellular carcinoma: HR 4.863, P < 0.001; esophageal cancer: HR 4.431, P = 0.008; pancreatic cancer: HR 1.905, P = 0.016; biliary system malignancies: HR 23.829, P = 0.035). The scored-CT system was constructed according to tumor type, stage, KPS, PG-SGA and BCS index, and it was of great predictive validity. This study identified VFD, L3 SMI and VFA/SFA associated with digestive malignancies outcomes. BCS was created and the scored-CT system was established to predict the OS of cancer patients.

Effect of sarcopenia on short-term and long-term outcomes of older patients with locally advanced gastric cancer: a multicenter study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of preoperative sarcopenia on the short-term and long-term outcomes in older patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC).

METHODS

Clinicopathological data of older patients with LAGC who underwent radical surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Sarcopenia was defined as a skeletal muscle index of less than 36.4 cm2/m2 for men and less than 28.4 cm2/m2 for women. Comparing the postoperative complications and survival between sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups using multicenter data.

RESULTS

A total of 406 older patients with LAGC were included in the analysis, including 145 (35.7%) with sarcopenia and 261 (64.3%) with non-sarcopenia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for postoperative complications with CD grade ≥ II (OR 1.616; P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that the 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) in the sarcopenia group were lower than those in the non-sarcopenia group (P both < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that sarcopenia was an independent prognostic factor for 5-year OS and RFS (P both < 0.05). The 5-year recurrence rate in the sarcopenia group was 57.2%, which was significantly higher than that in the non-sarcopenia group (46.4%; P = 0.036). Recurrence pattern analysis showed that the incidence of distant metastases in patients with sarcopenia (42.8%) was significantly higher than non-sarcopenia (31.4%; P = 0.022).

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia serves as a valuable predictor of both short-term and long-term outcomes in older patients with LAGC. Therefore, the significance of assessing preoperative nutritional status and implementing thorough postoperative follow-up for older LAGC patients with sarcopenia should be emphasized.

Prevalence and unfavorable outcome of frailty in older adults with gastric cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Previous studies reported inconsistent results on the prevalence and prognostic implications of frailty among older adults with gastric cancer. This systematic review synthesized available literature pertaining on this topic to establish the prevalence and unfavorable outcomes of frailty in older adults with gastric cancer.

METHODS

A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple English databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science as well as Chinese databases, namely, CNKI, Wan Fang, and CBM, from inception to July 4, 2023, to identify potential studies. Data related to the incidence of frailty and its unfavorable outcomes in older adults with gastric cancer were extracted. RevMan5.3 and R 4.2.2 were used to evaluate pooled prevalence, hazard ratios (HR), and 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

This review comprehensively selected 13 studies, comprising 9 cohort studies and 4 cross-sectional studies, on 44,117 older adults diagnosed with gastric cancer. The incidence of frailty among older adults with gastric cancer ranged from 10 to 71%. The pooled prevalence of frailty was 29% (95% CI 0.21-0.39). Frailty was found to be associated with an elevated risk of postoperative complications (HR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.45-2.73), prolonged postoperative hospital stay (HR = 2.68, 95% CI 2.38-3.02), likelihood of readmission (HR = 3.28, 95% CI 1.77-6.08), and an increased mortality risk (HR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.36-1.90).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty was associated with a poor prognosis in older adults with gastric cancer. Clinical medical staff should focus on the frailty of older adults with gastric cancer, conduct large-scale, multicenter, and prospective studies and early screening of patients, and provide guidance for the implementation of prevention and treatment strategies.

The Degree of Preoperative Hypoalbuminemia Is Associated with Risk of Postoperative Complications in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Patients

BACKGROUND

The incidence and impact of hypoalbuminemia in bariatric surgery patients is poorly characterized. We describe its distribution in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) patients undergoing primary or revision surgeries and assess its impact on postoperative complications.

METHODS

The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Quality Improvement Program Database (2015 to 2021) was analyzed. Hypoalbuminemia was defined as Severe (< 3 g/dL), Moderate (3 ≤ 3.5 g/dL), Mild (3.5 ≤ 4 g/dL), or Normal (≥ 4 g/dL). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratios of postoperative complications compared to those with Normal albumin after controlling for procedure, age, gender, race, body mass index, functional status, American Society of Anesthesia class, and operative length.

RESULTS

A total of 817,310 patients undergoing Primary surgery and 69,938 patients undergoing Revision/Conversion ("Revision") surgery were analyzed. The prevalence of hypoalbuminemia was as follows (Primary, Revision): Severe, 0.3%, 0.6%; Moderate, 5.2%, 6.5%; Mild, 28.3%, 31.4%; Normal, 66.2%, 61.4%. Primary and Revision patients with hypoalbuminemia had a significantly higher prevalence (p < 0.01) of several co-morbidities, including hypertension and insulin-dependent diabetes. Any degree of hypoalbuminemia increased the odds ratio of several complications in Primary and Revision patients, including readmission, intervention, and reoperation. In Primary patients, all levels of hypoalbuminemia also increased the odds ratio of unplanned intubation, intensive care unit admission, and venous thromboembolism requiring therapy.

CONCLUSION

Over 30% of patients present with hypoalbuminemia. Even mild hypoalbuminemia was associated with an increased rate of several complications including readmission, intervention, and reoperation. Ensuring nutritional optimization, especially prior to revision surgery, may improve outcomes in this challenging population.

High intramuscular adipose tissue content associated with prognosis and postoperative complications of cancers

Sarcopenia has been considered an adverse prognostic factor in cancer patients. Intramuscular adipose tissue content, as a new marker of sarcopenia, can effectively reflect skeletal muscle quality. The aim of this study was performed to evaluate the association between high intramuscular adipose tissue content (IMAC) and survival outcomes and postoperative complications in cancer patients. Specific databases, including the Web of Science, Embase and Web of Science, were systematically searched to identify relevant articles evaluating the prognostic value of IMAC in cancer patients. Hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilized for comprehensive analysis. All data analyses were performed using STATA 12.0 software. A total of 25 studies from 24 articles including 5663 patients were enrolled in the study. Meta-analysis showed that high IMAC was associated with unfavourable overall survival (OS) (HR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.70-2.86, P < 0.001), relapse-free survival (RFS) (HR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.30-1.75, P < 0.001) and disease-specific survival (DSS) (HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.19-2.28, P = 0.003). Subgroup analysis revealed that high IMAC remained an adverse prognostic factor when stratified by different country, treatment methods, cancer type or analysis type. High IMAC had better predictive value for gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) (HR: 3.50, 95% CI: 1.98-6.17, P < 0.001), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (HR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.45-2.33, P < 0.001), pancreatic cancer (PC) (HR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.67-2.66, P < 0.001) and colorectal cancer (CRC) (HR: 2.54, 95% CI: 1.27-5.10, P = 0.009). High IMAC was also identified as a significant risk factor for postoperative complications (OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.22-3.46, P = 0.007). High IMAC was associated with an adverse prognosis and an increased risk of postoperative complications in cancer patients. IMAC may be a good indicator of sarcopenia.

Effects of sarcopenia and frailty on postoperative recovery in elderly patients: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia and frailty are both age-related declines in functional reserve that are linked to adverse health outcomes. It is critical to know about the outcomes of a combination of these conditions. The study aimed to investigate the effects of sarcopenia and frailty on postoperative recovery in elderly patients and to explore risk factors.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study was conducted among 608 patients aged ≥60 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists I-III, who were scheduled to undergo thoracic (non-cardiac) and abdominal surgery from 1 March 2022 to 31 October 2022 at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University. Frailty was measured by the 28-item frailty index, and sarcopenia was assessed sarcopenia was assessed by skeletal muscle index in computed tomographic scan, handgrip strength and 6-m walk. Participants were classified as follows: Group A: both sarcopenia and frailty; Group B: sarcopenia only; Group C: frailty only; and Group D: neither frailty nor sarcopenia. The primary outcome was 90-day morbidity. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between sarcopenia, frailty and 90-day morbidity.

RESULTS

The median (interquartile range) age of participants was 68 (64-72) years, and 62.7% were men. The prevalence rates of sarcopenia and frailty were 32.8% and 47.6%, respectively. The 90-day morbidity in Group A was 58.5%, in Group B was 46.2%, in Group C was 42.0% and in Group D was 28.8%, and the difference was significant (P < 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, both sarcopenia and frailty [odds ratio (OR), 2.21; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-3.89], sarcopenia only (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.01-3.36), frailty only (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.03-3.03), women (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.45-0.99), body mass index (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.88-0.99), pre-operative albumin (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.91-1.00) and operative stress score (OSS) [OSS 3 (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.21-3.67); OSS 4-5 (OR, 3.81; 95% CI, 2.31-6.42)] were independently associated with 90-day morbidity. In the multivariable analysis with inverse probability weighting adjusted cohort, sarcopenia and frailty were also significantly associated with 90-day morbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia and frailty were associated with higher risks of postoperative 90-day morbidity in elderly patients alone and in combination. Sex, body mass index, pre-operative albumin and operative stress were also independent factors for postoperative morbidity within 90 days.

Association of sarcopenia with oncologic outcomes of primary treatment among patients with oral cavity cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

GOAL

We performed a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis to determine how radiographic sarcopenia assessment methods and the presence of pre-treatment sarcopenia impact oncologic outcomes in patients with oral cavity cancer.

INTRODUCTION

Pre-treatment sarcopenia has been associated with poor outcomes in many different malignancies, including head and neck cancers. However, the impact sarcopenia has on outcomes for oral cavity cancer patients is not well understood.

RESULTS

Twelve studies met our inclusion criteria, totaling 1007 patients. 359 (36%) of these patients were reported as sarcopenic. The most commonly utilized sarcopenia assessment methods were L3 skeletal muscle index (n = 5) and C3 skeletal muscle index to estimate L3 skeletal muscle index (n = 5). The majority of studies established their sarcopenia cutoffs as the lowest quartile skeletal muscle index in their patient cohorts. Five studies were included in our meta-analysis, totaling 251 sarcopenic and 537 non-sarcopenic patients. Compared to non-sarcopenic patients, sarcopenic patients were found to have significantly poorer overall survival (univariate: HR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.71-2.93, I2 = 0%; multivariate: HR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.47-2.52, I2 = 0%) and disease-free survival (univariate: HR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.50-2.92, I2 = 0%; multivariate: HR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.29-2.47, I2 = 10%).

CONCLUSIONS

Over one-third of oral cavity cancer patients may present with sarcopenia. Pre-treatment sarcopenia is associated with significantly worse overall and disease-free survival.

The association between skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and survival after gastrectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

OBJECTIVE

Low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) is frequently identified in gastric cancer patients but its association with patient survival rate is not clear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify the association between SMI and overall survival in gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy.

METHODS

PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from database inception until July 2021. Studies were eligible if they included gastric cancer patients, measured the SMI level, reported SMI before gastrectomy, defined sarcopenia according to SMI, and had a cohort or case-control design. Primary outcome was cancer survival rate. The risk of bias of individual studies was assessed using the Newcastle - Ottawa Scale.

RESULTS

Overall, 22 cohort studies including 7,203 participants were included. The quality of the included studies was moderate to high. A higher overall survival rate was associated with a higher SMI (RR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.42-1.85). Subgroup analysis suggested a stronger association in overweight or obese patients (RR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.13-5.09; I2 = 77%; heterogeneity P < 0.01). But no significant differences in the association based on the surgery type (curative surgery vs radical surgery) or the type of gastrectomy (total gastrectomy vs sub-total gastrectomy) were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

It is suggested that SMI can be a prognostic indicator for overall survival in gastric cancer patients, especially in overweight and obese patients.

Skeletal Muscle Quality and Quantity Affect Prognosis after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy with a Triple Regimen of Docetaxel/Cisplatin/5-FU in Patients with Esophageal Cancer

The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with the prognosis after docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) undergoing surgical resection. We retrospectively examined a total of 100 patients who received neoadjuvant DCF therapy for ESCC at our institution between 2011 and 2020. The psoas muscle index (PMI) was calculated from the psoas muscle area at the L3 vertebral level, and the intramuscular adipose tissue content (IMAC) was calculated from the mean CT value of the multifidus muscle and from four points of subcutaneous fat. The median PMI value was 6.11 cm2/m2 (range, 3.12-11.07 cm2/m2) in men and 3.65 cm2/m2 (range, 2.70-6.82 cm2/m2) in women. The median IMAC was -0.426 (range, -0.079--0.968) in men and -0.359 (range, -0.079--0.671) in women. Based on the PMI, IMAC, and other patient factors, factors associated with NAC-DCF postoperative survival were identified using multivariate Cox regression analysis. A high IMAC was significantly related to overall survival after surgery (p = 0.005, hazard ratio 2.699). A comparison of Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the 5-year survival rate was 76.5% in the low IMAC group and 42.7% in the high IMAC group (log-rank test; p = 0.001). A low IMAC was associated with good survival outcomes and was an independent prognostic factor in patients with cStage II/III ESCC who were treated with the NAC-DCF regimen and underwent surgical resection.

Value of sarcopenia in the resection of colorectal liver metastases-a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Sarcopenia is defined as a decline in muscle function as well as muscle mass. Sarcopenia itself and sarcopenic obesity, defined as sarcopenia in obese patients, have been used as surrogates for a worse prognosis in colorectal cancer. This review aims to determine if there is evidence for sarcopenia as a prognostic parameter in colorectal liver metastases (CRLM).

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and CINAHL databases were searched for articles that were selected in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). A random effects meta-analysis was conducted.

Results

After eliminating duplicates and screening abstracts (n = 111), 949 studies were screened, and 33 publications met the inclusion criteria. Of them, 15 were selected after close paper review, and 10 were incorporated into the meta-analysis, which comprised 825 patients. No significant influence of sarcopenia for OS (odds ratio (OR), 2.802 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.094-1.11); p = 0.4) or DFS (OR, 1.203 (95% CI, 1.162-1.208); p = 0.5) was found, although a trend was defined toward sarcopenia. Sarcopenia significantly influenced postoperative complication rates (OR, 7.905 (95% CI, 1.876-3.32); p = 0.001) in two studies where data were available.

Conclusion

Existing evidence on the influence of sarcopenia on postoperative OS as well as DFS in patients undergoing resection for CRLM exists. We were not able to confirm that sarcopenic patients have a significantly worse OS and DFS in our analysis, although a trend toward this hypothesis was visible. Sarcopenia seems to influence complication rates but prospective studies are needed.

Association between sarcopenia and postoperative complications in patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal or hepato-pancreatico-biliary cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Despite surgical advances, postoperative complications persist, affecting oncologic outcomes and increasing treatment costs. It is important to identify a marker that can predict postoperative complications, which can help prehabilitate patients before surgery. This study evaluated sarcopenia as a predictive marker of postoperative complications in patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal (GI) or hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) cancer.

METHODS

Sarcopenia was assessed using the skeletal muscle index at the third lumbar vertebra on abdominal computed tomography. The predictive ability of sarcopenia was evaluated by adjusting for other clinicopathological factors.

RESULTS

Of the 210 patients, 81 (38.57%) were sarcopenic. The overall morbidity and mortality were 33.81% and 2.86%, respectively. Major complications (Clavien-Dindo Grade ≥ III) were observed in 10.95% patients and sarcopenic patients were significantly more likely to develop major complications (p = 1.42 × 10-10 ). Sarcopenia (p = 6.13 × 10-6 ; odds ratio = 12.29) independently predicted postoperative complications and prolonged hospital stay (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia objectively predicted the development of postoperative complications and prolonged hospital stay in patients undergoing surgery for GI or HPB cancer. This may facilitate the prehabilitation of patients planned for surgery to reduce the risk of complications.

Emergency exploratory laparotomy and radical gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer combined with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent malignant tumor worldwide and ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a frequent complication of GC. Radical gastrectomy and palliative therapy are widely used surgical procedures in the clinical management of GC. This study intends to probe the clinical efficacy and safety of radical gastrectomy and palliative therapy on the basis of exploratory laparotomy in patients with GC combined with UGIB, hoping to provide valuable information to aid patients in selecting the appropriate surgical intervention.

AIM

To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of exploratory laparotomy + radical gastrectomy and palliative therapy in patients with GC and UGIB combined.

METHODS

A total of 89 GC patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China between July 2018 and July 2020 were selected as participants for this study. The 89 patients were divided into two groups: radical resection group (n = 46) treated with exploratory laparotomy + radical gastrectomy and Palliative group (n = 43) treated with palliative therapy. The study compared several variables between the two groups, including surgical duration, intraoperative blood transfusion volume, postoperative anal exhaust time, off-bed activity time, length of hospitalization, and incidence of complications such as duodenal stump rupture, anastomotic obstruction, and postoperative incision. Additionally, postoperative immune function indicators (including CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+, and CD3+/HLADR+), immunoglobulin (IgG and IgM), tumor markers (CEA, CA199, and CA125), and inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-17, and TNF-α) were assessed. The surgical efficacy and postoperative quality of life recovery were also evaluated. The patients were monitored for survival and tumor recurrence at 6 mo, 1 year, and 2 years post-surgery.

RESULTS

The results indicated that the duration of operation time and postoperative hospitalization did not differ between the two surgical procedures. However, patients in the radical resection group exhibited shorter intraoperative blood loss, anus exhaust time, off-bed activity time, and inpatient activity time than those in the Palliative group. Although there was no substantial difference in the occurrence of postoperative complications, such as duodenal stump rupture and anastomotic obstruction, between the radical resection group and Palliative group (P > 0.05), the radical resection group exhibited higher postoperative immune function indicators (including CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, etc.) and immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgM) than the Palliative group, while tumor markers and inflammatory factors levels were lower than those in the radical resection group. Additionally, surgical efficacy, postoperative quality of life, and postoperative survival rates were higher in patients who underwent radical gastrectomy than in those who underwent palliative therapy. Moreover, the probability of postoperative tumor recurrence was lower in the radical gastrectomy group compared to the palliative therapy group, and these differences were all statistically significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Compared to palliative therapy, exploratory laparotomy + radical gastrectomy can improve immune function, reduce the levels of tumor markers and inflammatory factors, improve surgical efficacy, promote postoperative quality of life recovery, enhance survival rates, and attenuate the probability of tumor recurrence.

Physical and functional evaluations in oncological patients elective to medium and large operations

PURPOSE

To evaluate the risk of sarcopenia on the length of hospital stay and deaths in preoperative cancer patients as well its relation to physical and functional capacity.

METHODS

Preoperative patients admitted to the Cancer Hospital of Mato Grosso comprised the sample. Sociodemographic data, lifestyle data, and a questionnaire for sarcopenia screening were collected. Subsequently, total body mass, height, muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical performance were evaluated. The primary, secondary and tertiary outcomes were sarcopenia, length of stay and death, respectively. The data were tabulated and analyzed using the statistical software SPSS (25.0). The significance level was 5%.

RESULTS

We observed 12 (7.4%) patients with low muscle strength, 20 (12.3%) patients with low muscle mass, 11 (6.8%) patients with low physical performance, and 18 (11.1%) patients with scores for possible sarcopenia. When the risk of sarcopenia was observed, 44 (27.2%) patients had at least one risk related to muscle disorder. When analyzing the prevalence and association of sarcopenia with sociodemographic variables, we observed that education level was associated with sarcopenia (p = 0.031). In addition, there was an association between preoperative sarcopenia and postoperative death (p = 0.006). Finally, there were important correlations between muscle strength and physical performance (p < 0.05), between muscle strength and the sarcopenia questionnaire (p < 0.001), and between physical performance and the sarcopenia questionnaire (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The results suggest the need for counseling and the need to evaluate patients for risk of sarcopenia, since early intervention, such as dietary supplementation and physical exercise, may favor a better postoperative prognosis, possibly corresponding to shorter hospital stays and longer survival and quality of life for patients, especially those who will undergo surgical procedures.

Clinical significance of the advanced lung cancer inflammation index in gastrointestinal cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

The advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) has been identified as a scientific and clinical priority in multiple malignancies. The aim of this study is to investigate the value of the ALI before treatment in evaluating postoperative complications (POCs) and survival outcomes in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.

Methods

Electronic databases including PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were comprehensively reviewed up to June 2022. The endpoints were POCs and survival outcomes. Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were also performed.

Results

Eleven studies including 4417 participants were included. A significant heterogeneity in the ALI cut-off value among studies was observed. Patients in the low ALI group showed increased incidence of POCs (OR=2.02; 95%CI:1.60-2.57; P<0.001; I² = 0%). In addition, a low ALI was also significantly associated with worse overall survival (HR=1.96; 95%CI: 1.58-2.43; P<0.001; I² = 64%), which remained consistent in all subgroups based on country, sample size, tumor site, tumor stage, selection method and Newcastle Ottawa Scale score. Moreover, patients in the low ALI group had an obviously decreased disease-free survival compared to these in the high ALI group (HR=1.47; 95%CI: 1.28-1.68; P<0.001; I² = 0%).

Conclusion

Based on existing evidence, the ALI could act as a valuable predictor of POCs and long-term outcomes in patients with GI cancer. However, the heterogeneity in the ALI cut-off value among studies should be considered when interpreting these findings.

Association between preoperative diagnosis of sarcopenia and postoperative pneumonia in resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients: a retrospective cohort study

Background

Postoperative outcomes for patients suffering from resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are related to sarcopenia. In patients with resectable ESCC, this study investigated the link between sarcopenia and postoperative pneumonia.

Methods

The McKewon procedure was the only one used to treat resectable ESCC patients from January 2018 to December 2021 in this retrospective analysis. Sarcopenia was assessed using skeletal muscles at L3 and planning CT scans. It was defined when PMI was below 6.36 cm²/m² and 3.92 cm²/m² for men and women, separately. Analyses of multivariate and univariate logistic regression were applied for identifying the risk factors for postoperative pneumonia.

Results

The study included 773 patients with resectable ESCC in total. Sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for postoperative pneumonia in individuals with resectable ESCC based on univariate and multivariate analysis (P < 0.05). The stratified analysis indicated that neither of the clinical outcomes in the logistic regression model were affected by gender, age, BMI, smoking, or pre-albumin (P for interaction > 0.006).

Conclusion

Following the McKewon procedure, patients with resectable ESCC who were sarcopenic had a higher postoperative pneumonia rate. To prevent the development of postoperative pneumonia during the perioperative period, it may be important to control the incidence of sarcopenia.

Prognostic value of pretreatment skeletal muscle index in pancreatic carcinoma patients: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The association between pretreatment skeletal muscle index (SMI) and long-term survival of pancreatic carcinoma patients remains unclear up to now.

METHODS

The PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE databases were searched up to March 1, 2022 for relevant studies. The primary and secondary outcomes were overall survival and progression-free survival, respectively. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined to assess the relationship between pretreatment SMI and prognosis of pancreatic carcinoma patients. All statistical analysis was conducted by STATA 15.0 software.

RESULTS

Twenty retrospective studies involving 3765 patients were included. The pooled results demonstrated that lower pretreatment SMI was significantly related to poorer overall survival (HR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.25-1.62, P < .001) and progression-free survival (HR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.08-1.84, P = .012). Besides subgroup analysis based on the treatment (non-surgery vs surgery) and tumor stage (advanced vs early stage) showed similar results.

CONCLUSION

Pretreatment SMI could serve as a promising and reliable prognostic factor for pancreatic carcinoma patients and lower pretreatment SMI predicted worse prognosis.

Sarcopenia Is a Prognostic Factor in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy

(1) Background: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a widely used long-term enteral nutrition method, but little is known about the associated prognostic factors in patients with PEG. Sarcopenia, a condition characterized by a loss of skeletal muscle mass, increases the risk of developing various gastrointestinal disorders. Yet, the relationship between sarcopenia and the prognosis after PEG remains unclear. (2) Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients who underwent PEG consecutively from March 2008 to April 2020. We analyzed preoperative sarcopenia and the prognosis of patients after PEG. We defined sarcopenia as a skeletal muscle index at the level of the third lumbar vertebra of ≤29.6 cm²/m² for women and ≤36.2 cm²/m² for men. Cross-sectional computed tomography images of skeletal muscle at the level of the third lumbar vertebra were evaluated using DICOM image analysis software (OsiriX). The primary outcome was the difference in overall survival after PEG based on the status of sarcopenia. We also performed a covariate balancing propensity score matching analysis. (3) Results: Of 127 patients (99 men, 28 women), 71 (56%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia, and 64 patients died during the observation period. The median follow-up period did not differ between patients with and without sarcopenia (p = 0.5). The median survival time after PEG was 273 days in patients with sarcopenia and 1133 days in those without (p < 0.001). Cox proportional hazard model analyses identified three factors that were significantly associated with overall survival: sarcopenia (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6-5.4, p < 0.001), serum albumin level (adjusted HR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.21-0.55, p < 0.001) and male sex (adjusted HR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-3.7, p = 0.03). Propensity score-matched analysis (n = 37 vs. 37) showed that the survival rate was lower in the sarcopenia group than in the non-sarcopenia group (at 90 days: 77% (95% CI, 59-88) vs. 92% (76-97), at 180 days: 56% (38-71) vs. 92% (76-97), and at one year: 35% (19-51) vs. 81% (63-91), p = 0.0014). (4) Conclusions: Sarcopenia was associated with poor prognosis in patients having undergone PEG.

Pneumonia risk prediction in patients with acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome through evaluation of sarcopenia index as a prognostic factor

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the relationship between the sarcopenia index (SI) and the risk of pneumonia in hospitalized patients with acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS).

STUDY DESIGN

We have performed a retrospective study of individuals with AWS from a teaching hospital in western China. Patients' data were retrieved from the medicinal record databases. Patients' primary (upon admission) blood serum creatinine (Cr) and cystatin C (CysC) levels were incorporated into the records. Participants were separated into low and high SI cohorts based on the three-quarter digit of SI (SI = serum Cr/serum CysC ratio × 100). The association between SI and the risk of pneumonia in hospitalized patients with AWS was assessed by logistic regression analysis.

RESULT

Three hundred and twelve patients with acute AWS were included in this retrospective analysis. Among hospitalized patients with acute AWS, the incidence of pneumonia was 13.78%. The average median age of acute AWS patients with pneumonia was 55.28 (10.65) years, and the mean age of acute AWS individuals without pneumonia was 51.23 (10.08) years. In the univariate analysis, the high SI group (SI > 87.91) had a lower incidence of pneumonia than the low SI group (SI ≤ 87.91) (high SI vs. low SI, 6.41% vs. 16.24%, p = 0.029). Further logistic regression analysis showed that the high SI group demonstrated a poorer risk of pneumonia (OR = 0.353, 95%CI: 0.134-0.932, p = 0.036). After adjusting for possible confounders, the risk of pneumonia remained low in the high SI group (OR = 0.358, 95%CI: 0.132-0.968, p = 0.043).

CONCLUSION

Our results showed that SI was linked with the risk of pneumonia in hospitalized individuals with acute AWS. We further suggest that it could be a pneumonia risk factor, especially in medical centers where sarcopenia diagnosis is unavailable.

Sarcopenia assessed with DXA and CT increases the risk of perioperative complications in patients with gastrectomy

OBJECTIVES

We investigated sarcopenia prevalence using various diagnostic criteria based on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and computed tomography (CT) in gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy, and evaluated the association between sarcopenia and perioperative complications.

METHODS

This retrospective study included consecutive patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy, and preoperative DXA and CT from January 2013 to November 2020. Body composition was measured using DXA and CT. Height-adjusted DXA-based Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (ASMI) and CT-based skeletal muscle cross-sectional area at the L3 level (SMI) were measured. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were defined using reported cutoff values. The chi-square test and univariate analysis were performed to determine risk factors for significant and severe perioperative complications (Clavien-Dindo Grades ≥ 2 and ≥ 3, respectively).

RESULTS

In total, 77 males and 43 females aged 61.4 ± 11.0 years were included. ASMI and SMI were correlated (r = 0.819), but sarcopenia prevalence varied (20.0-63.3%), depending on the criteria applied. Univariate analysis revealed sarcopenia defined using the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria and sarcopenic obesity as risk factors for significant (odds ratio [OR] 2.76, p = 0.030 vs. OR 4.31, p = 0.002) and severe perioperative complications (OR 3.77, p = 0.036 vs. OR 4.78, p = 0.010). In subgroup analyses, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were significantly associated with perioperative complications only in males.

CONCLUSION

Perioperative complication risk can be predicted from sarcopenia defined using the AWGS criteria and sarcopenic obesity measured using DXA and CT, particularly in males.

KEY POINTS

• The prevalence of sarcopenia varies due to definition differences. • Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are risk factors for significant and severe perioperative complications, particularly in males. • Our results suggest that physicians need to pay attention to perioperative complications after surgical treatment of male patients with sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity.

Impact of skeletal muscle loss during conversion therapy on clinical outcomes in lavage cytology positive patients with gastric cancer

Background

The relationship between sarcopenia and clinical outcomes during conversion therapy in patients with lavage cytology positive gastric cancer (GC-CY₁) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of sarcopenia and skeletal muscle loss on the efficacy of conversion therapy, tumour response and survival in GC-CY₁ patients.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of data from a prospective trial of conversion therapy conducted between April 2018 and August 2019 in patients with GC-CY₁ (NCT03718624). Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was measured at the level of the third lumbar (L3) vertebra and the sarcopenia was defined using published cut-off points in all patients. We defined ΔSMI (%)/50 days above 9.53% for men and ΔSMI (%)/50 days above 8.81% for women as significant muscle loss (SML) and analysed the changes in skeletal muscle during conversion therapy in relation to treatment efficacy, survival and tumour response.

Results

Of the 36 patients, 7 patients (19.44%) developed sarcopenia before conversion therapy, 6 (16.67%) developed new sarcopenia after conversion therapy, and 8 (22.22%) developed SML during treatment. Multivariate analysis showed that sarcopenia before treatment [Odds Ratio (OR) =8.923, 95%CI: 1.341-25.321, p=0.002] and SML during treatment (OR=7.803, 95%CI: 1.106-16.189, p=0.001) had a negative impact on the success rate of conversion therapy. Cox multifactorial analysis found that pre-treatment sarcopenia [overall survival (OS): Hazard Ratio (HR) =6.341, 95%CI: 1.269-18.943, p=0.001; progression-free survival (PFS): HR=8.212, 95%CI: 1.569-36.582, p=0.001], newly developed sarcopenia after conversion therapy (OS: HR=3.189, 95%CI: 1.023-9.811, p=0.012; PFS: HR=3.084, 95%CI: 1.042-14.236, p=0.013) and the presence of SML during treatment (OS: HR=10.234, 95%CI: 2.532-54.231, p=0.002; PFS: HR=9.562, 95%CI: 2.341-38.092, p=0.002) were independent risk factor for OS and PFS in GC-CY₁ patients.

Conclusion

Pre-treatment sarcopenia and the presence of SML during treatment are strongly correlated with the immediate and long-term outcomes of GC-CY₁ patients and can be used as imaging markers to predict the treatment efficacy and prognosis of patients in clinical practice.

Association between Temporal Muscle Thickness and Overall Survival in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Brain Metastasis

Temporal muscle thickness (TMT) has recently been suggested as a novel biomarker of sarcopenia in head and neck malignancies. However, few studies have evaluated TMT as a prognostic marker in patients with brain metastasis. This study investigated the association of TMT with overall survival (OS) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastasis. The records of all NSCLC patients with brain metastasis between 2009 and 2018 at St. Vincent’s Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. A total of 221 patients met our eligibility criteria. In the group with TMT thicker than the median, OS was longer than the group with TMT thinner than the median (240 days versus 139 days, p = 0.014). In multivariate analysis, the thicker TMT group had longer survival (HR 0.73 CI 0.56−0.96, p = 0.024). Male (HR 1.58 CI 1.19−2.09, p = 0.002) and older age (≥65 years) (HR 2.05 CI 1.53−2.74, p < 0.001) also showed statistical significance. We also performed subgroup analysis in older patients (≥65 years). In this subgroup of 107 patients, the thicker TMT group also showed longer OS than the thinner TMT group (209 days versus 82 days, p = 0.009). Our findings suggest that TMT can be a useful biomarker for OS in NSCLC patients with brain metastasis.

Combined systemic inflammatory immunity index and prognostic nutritional index scores as a screening marker for sarcopenia in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer

Background

Sarcopenia is associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC). Currently, the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia are complex and laborious. Increased evidence suggests the inflammatory state of the body is closely associated with the development of sarcopenia. The systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) and the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) are representative blood indicators of the status of the systemic inflammatory response, but the clinical significance of the combined testing of these two indicators remains unclear. We aimed to develop a simple and practical risk score (SII-PNI score) to screen patients with LAGC for sarcopenia on admission for early diagnosis.

Methods

We registered a prospective clinical study from January 2011 to May 2016 involving 134 patients with LAGC undergoing radical surgical resection. All patients followed the definition of sarcopenia in the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia (AWGS) guidelines and were divided into sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups. SII-PNI score 0-2 was scored as 2 for high SII (≥432.9) and low PNI ( ≤ 49.5); score 1, either high SII or low PNI; score 0, no high SII or low PNI.

Results

All patients underwent radical surgery, including 31 patients (23.13%) with sarcopenia according to AWGS criteria. The SII-PNI score was significantly lower in the non-sarcopenic patients than in the sarcopenic patients (p < 0.001). Logistic multivariate analysis showed that the SII-PNI score predicted an independent prognostic factor for sarcopenia (p < 0.001). Patients with high SII-PNI scores had significantly worse prognosis than those with low SII-PNI scores (p < 0.001). The SII-PNI score was an independent prognostic factor for predicting overall survival and disease-free survival (p = 0.016, 0.023).

Conclusion

Peripheral blood parameters SII-PNI scores accurately identify sarcopenia in patients with LAGC and could be used as potential systemic markers.

Body composition change during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer

Background

Sarcopenia is receiving attention in oncology as a predictor of increased chemotherapy toxicities. Research into body composition change during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer is both urgently needed and generally lacking. This study assessed sarcopenia prevalence before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy using CT imaging, evaluated body composition changes during neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and determined predictors of sarcopenia status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Materials and Methods

In this retrospective, descriptive study, we used data collected from 2017 to 2020 to measure body composition parameters on cross-sectional CT slices for 317 Korean women with breast cancer patients before and at completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Changes in skeletal muscle index, visceral fat index, subcutaneous fat index, and sarcopenia were assessed and correlated, and multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify predictive factors associated with sarcopenia status at completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Results

Of the 80 breast cancer patients (25.2%) who had sarcopenia before beginning neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 64 (80.0%) retained their sarcopenia status after chemotherapy. Weight, body mass index, body surface area, and visceral fat index showed significant increases after neoadjuvant chemotherapy; notably, only skeletal muscle index significantly decreased, showing a reduction of 0.44 cm2/m2 (t (316) = 2.15, p &lt;.5). Lower skeletal muscle index at baseline was associated with greater loss of muscle mass during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (r = −.24, p &lt;.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that baseline sarcopenia status was the only significant predictor of sarcopenia status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p &lt;.001). Specifically, the log odds of sarcopenia after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were 3.357 higher in the baseline sarcopenia group than in the group without baseline sarcopenia (β = 3.357, p &lt;.001).

Conclusion

Sarcopenia during neoadjuvant chemotherapy can be obscured by an increasing proportion of fat in body composition if clinical assessment focuses on only body mass index or body surface area rather than muscle mass. For breast cancer patients who have sarcopenia when they begin neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the risk of muscle mass loss during treatment is alarmingly high. To reduce masking of muscle mass loss during treatment, comprehensive evaluation of body composition, beyond body surface area assessment, is clearly needed.

Skeletal Muscle Change During Neoadjuvant Therapy and Its Impact on Prognosis in Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Gastrointestinal cancers are the most common malignant tumors worldwide. As the improvement of survival by surgical resection alone for cancers is close to the bottleneck, recent neoadjuvant therapy has been emphasized and applied in the treatment. Despite the advantage on improving the prognosis, some studies have reported neoadjuvant therapy could reduce skeletal muscle and therefore affect postoperative outcomes. However, the conclusions are still controversial.

Methods

PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to September 2, 2021. The inclusion criteria were observational studies, published in English, of individuals aged ≥18 years who underwent neoadjuvant therapy with gastrointestinal cancers and were assessed skeletal muscle mass before and after neoadjuvant therapy, with sufficient data on skeletal muscle change or the association with clinical outcomes. Meta-analysis was conducted by using the STATA 12.0 package when more than two studies reported the same outcome.

Results

A total of 268 articles were identified, and 19 studies (1,954 patients) were included in the review. The fixed effects model showed that the risk of sarcopenia increased 22% after receiving neoadjuvant therapy (HR=1.22, 95% CI 1.14, 1.31, Z=4.286, P&lt;0.001). In the random effects model, neoadjuvant therapy was associated with skeletal muscle loss, with a standardized mean difference of -0.20 (95% CI -0.31, -0.09, Z=3.49, P&lt;0.001) and a significant heterogeneity (I2 =62.2%, P&lt;0.001). Multiple meta regression indicated that population, neoadjuvant therapy type, and measuring tool were the potential sources of heterogeneity. The funnel plot revealed that there was no high publication bias in these studies (Begg’s test, P=0.544) and the sensitivity analysis showed stable results when separately excluding studies. For the postoperative outcomes, the results revealed that muscle loss during neoadjuvant therapy was significantly related to overall survival (HR=2,08, 95% CI =1.47, 2.95, Z=4.12, P&lt;0.001, I2 = 0.0%), but not related to disease-free survival and other short-term outcomes.

Conclusions

This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that skeletal muscle decreased significantly during neoadjuvant therapy in patients with gastrointestinal cancers and skeletal muscle loss was strongly associated with worse overall survival. More high-quality studies are needed to update and valid these conclusions in a more specific or stratified way.

Systematic Review Registration

[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/], identifier PROSPERO (CRD42021292118)

Sarcopenia Predicts Relevant Clinical Outcomes in Biliary Tract Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to analyze the influences of sarcopenia on clinical outcomes in patients with biliary tract cancer (BTC). A systematic literature search was performed in November 2021. Some studies that reported the impacts of sarcopenia on the prognosis of patients with BTC were included. The overall hazard ratios (HRs), overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and odds ratio (OR) for major postoperative complications were calculated using a fixed- or random effects. In the 18 studies, 3261 patients were enrolled for analysis. Based on defining sarcopenia by muscle mass, sarcopenia predicted OS, and based on defining sarcopenia by muscle density, HR was 2.10 (95% CI 1.72-2.56) and HR was 2.12 (95% CI 1.46- 3.10). Patients with sarcopenia had poorer RFS, and HR was 2.18 (95% CI 1.75-2.71). The incidence rate of major postoperative complication increased compared with those without sarcopenia (OR, 1.45; 95% Cl, 1.07-1.96). Sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for poor OS and RFS in patients with BTC. Sarcopenia is associated with the occurrence of major postoperative complications. This study provides advice that clinicians should provide importance to the assessment of skeletal muscle status and provide suitable nutritional supports and exercise program to reduce the sarcopenia in patients with BTC.

Association of Sarcopenia and Low Nutritional Status with Unplanned Hospital Readmission after Radical Gastrectomy in Patients with Gastric Cancer: A Case-Control Study

Objective. Sarcopenia is one of the influencing factors of poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer but the association with readmission are unknown. We aimed to explore factors associated with readmission after gastrectomy and to determine whether preoperative sarcopenia is a common outcome in readmitted patients. Methods. In this case-control study, patients who underwent gastric resection in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between April 2016 and September 2017 were included. The reasons of readmission patients were described. The readmission patients and non-readmission patients were matched by propensity score matching (PSM). The univariate analysis was applied for the baseline characteristics, operative details, postoperative prognosis and discharge disposition, and multiple logistic regression analysis for the independent risk factors of readmission. Results. The unplanned readmission rate within 30 days of radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer was 6.5% (43/657). The average time interval from discharge to readmission was 13 days. Delayed gastric evacuation was the main cause of readmission (18.6%, 8/43). Body mass index (BMI), nutritional risk screening (NRS) 2002 score, history of abdominal surgery, sarcopenia, and preoperative albumin were included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. NRS 2002 (OR = 3.43, 95% CI: 1.10–10.72, $P=0.034$ ) and sarcopenia (OR = 4.25, 95% CI: 1.13–16.02, $P=0.033$ ) were found to be independently associated with unplanned readmission within 30 days of radical gastrectomy for cancer. Other factors such as age, sex, BMI, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, surgical method, operation and reconstruction type, TNM stage, surgical duration, previous abdominal surgery, and preoperative albumin and hemoglobin level were not associated with unplanned readmission after radical gastrectomy for cancer. Conclusions. Sarcopenia and low nutritional status are independently associated with unplanned readmission within 30 days of radical gastrectomy for cancer.

Prognostic Impact of the SARC-F Score in Gastrointestinal Advanced Cancers

Simple Summary

There have been few reports with regard to the relevance between the SARC-F score and the prognosis in patients with gastrointestinal advanced cancers, and we aimed to elucidate these issues (n = 421, median age = 73 years). During the follow-up period, 145 patients (34.4%) died. The 1-year cumulative overall survival rate in patients with SARC-F ≥ 4 (recommended cutoff point, n = 103) and SARC-F < 4 (n = 318) was 33.9% and 61.6% (p < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis for the overall survival, total lymphocyte count ≥ 1081/μL (p = 0.0014), the SARC-F score ≥ 4 (p = 0.0096), Glasgow prognostic score 1 (p = 0.0147) and 2 (p < 0.0001), ECOG-PS 2 (p < 0.0001), and 3 (p < 0.0001) and 4 (p < 0.0001) were independent predictors. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis on the prognostic value of the SARC-F score, the sensitivity/specificity was 0.59/0.70, and the best cutoff point of the SARC-F score was two. The SARC-F score appears to be useful in patients with gastrointestinal advanced malignancies.

Abstract

We sought to elucidate the prognostic impact of the SARC-F score among patients with gastrointestinal advanced malignancies (n = 421). A SARC-F score ≥ 4 was judged to have a strong suspicion for sarcopenia. In patients with ECOG-PS 4 (n = 43), 3 (n = 61), and 0–2 (n = 317), 42 (97.7%), 53 (86.9%) and 8 (2.5%) had the SARC-F score ≥ 4. During the follow-up period, 145 patients (34.4%) died. All deaths were cancer-related. The 1-year cumulative overall survival (OS) rate in patients with SARC-F ≥ 4 (n = 103) and SARC-F < 4 (n = 318) was 33.9% and 61.6% (p < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis for the OS, total lymphocyte count ≥ 1081/μL (p = 0.0014), the SARC-F score ≥ 4 (p = 0.0096), Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) 1 (p = 0.0147, GPS 0 as a standard), GPS 2 (p < 0.0001, GPS 0 as a standard), ECOG-PS 2 (p < 0.0001, ECOG-PS 0 as a standard), ECOG-PS 3 (p < 0.0001, ECOG-PS 0 as a standard), and ECOG-PS 4 (p < 0.0001, ECOG-PS 0 as a standard) were independent predictors. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis on the prognostic value of the SARC-F score, the sensitivity/specificity was 0.59/0.70, and best cutoff point of the SARC-F score was two. In conclusion, the SARC-F score is useful in patients with gastrointestinal advanced malignancies.