Sarcopenia Is an Important Prognostic Factor in Patients With Cervical Cancer Undergoing Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

Overall survival and short-term efficacy analysis of cervical squamous cell carcinoma with skeletal muscle and 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters

2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) can provide tumor biological metabolism and skeletal muscle composition information. The aim of this study was to evaluate overall survival (OS) and short-term efficacy of cervical squamous cell carcinoma combining tumor biological metabolism and skeletal muscle composition parameters. Eighty two patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study, who received 18F-FDG PET/CT scans before treatment. Clinical characteristics, tumor biological metabolism parameters [standardized uptake value, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis, heterogeneity of tumors, etc.] and body composition parameters were recorded. The survival analysis of cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients was performed by univariate and multivariate analysis. A combined model included clinical indicators, tumor metabolism parameters and sarcopenia was constructed to evaluate OS of patients. According to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.1, the relationship between sarcopenia with tumor metabolism parameters and short-term efficacy was investigated in subgroup. The results indicate that sarcopenia and high value of the sum of MTV of lesions and metastases (MTVtotal) were poor prognostic factors in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma. The combination of sarcopenia, MTVtotal and clinical factors provided an improved prediction of OS especially in the long term after treatment. Nutritional status of the patients and tumor metabolism may not affect the short-term efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Sarcopenic Obesity in Cervical Carcinoma: A Strong and Independent Prognostic Factor beyond the Conventional Predictors (ESTHER Study-AFRAID Project)

Locally advanced cervical cancer represents a significant treatment challenge. Body composition parameters such as body mass index, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity, defined by sarcopenia and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, have been identified as potential prognostic factors, yet their overall impact remains underexplored. This study assessed the relationship between these anthropometric parameters alongside clinical prognostic factors on the prognosis of 173 cervical cancer patients. Survival outcomes in terms of local control (LC), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using Kaplan regression methods-Meier and Cox. Older age, lower hemoglobin levels, higher FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stages, and lower total radiation doses were significantly associated with worse outcomes. Univariate analysis showed a significant correlation between BMI and the outcomes examined, revealing that normal-weight patients show higher survival rates, which was not confirmed by the multivariate analysis. Sarcopenia was not correlated with any of the outcomes considered, while sarcopenic obesity was identified as an independent negative predictor of DFS (HR: 5.289, 95% CI: 1.298-21.546, p = 0.020) and OS (HR: 2.645, 95% CI: 1.275-5.488, p = 0.009). This study highlights the potential of sarcopenic obesity as an independent predictor of clinical outcomes. These results support their inclusion in prognostic assessments and treatment planning for patients with advanced cervical cancer.

Nomograms combining computed tomography-based body composition changes with clinical prognostic factors to predict survival in locally advanced cervical cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

To explore the value of body composition changes (BCC) measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) for evaluating the survival of patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), nomograms combined BCC with clinical prognostic factors (CPF) were constructed to predict overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

METHODS

Eighty-eight patients with LACC were retrospectively selected. All patients underwent QCT scans before and after CCRT, bone mineral density (BMD), subcutaneous fat area (SFA), visceral fat area (VFA), total fat area (TFA), paravertebral muscle area (PMA) were measured from two sets of computed tomography (CT) images, and change rates of these were calculated.

RESULTS

Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed ΔBMD, ΔSFA, SCC-Ag, LNM were independent factors for OS (HR = 3.560, 5.870, 2.702, 2.499, respectively, all P < 0.05); ΔPMA, SCC-Ag, LNM were independent factors for PFS (HR = 2.915, 4.291, 2.902, respectively, all P < 0.05). Prognostic models of BCC combined with CPF had the highest predictive performance, and the area under the curve (AUC) for OS and PFS were 0.837, 0.846, respectively. The concordance index (C-index) of nomograms for OS and PFS were 0.834, 0.799, respectively. Calibration curves showed good agreement between the nomograms' predictive and actual OS and PFS, decision curve analysis (DCA) showed good clinical benefit of nomograms.

CONCLUSION

CT-based body composition changes and CPF (SCC-Ag, LNM) were associated with survival in patients with LACC. The prognostic nomograms combined BCC with CPF were able to predict the OS and PFS in patients with LACC reliably.

Low skeletal muscle mass predicts poor prognosis for patients with stage III cervical cancer on concurrent chemoradiotherapy

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether low skeletal muscle mass before initial treatment is an independent prognostic factor defining overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients diagnosed with stage III cervical cancer.

METHODS

Body composition and clinicopathologic data were collected retrospectively. Information was extracted and analyzed from the medical records of 92 patients with stage III cervical cancer and undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Skeletal muscle mass in the L3 region was measured using cross-sectional computed tomography images and corrected for body surface area to calculate the skeletal muscle index (SMI). The primary outcome was OS, and the secondary outcome was PFS. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine OS and PFS. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with Cox proportional hazard ratios.

RESULTS

The optimal cutoff value for predicting 5-y survival was 35.6 cm²/m², defined based on data derived from 24 patients with a low SMI and 68 patients without a low SMI. A low SMI was significantly associated with shorter OS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.470; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.208-5.053; P = 0.013), with no significant difference in PFS (HR, 1.651; 95% CI, 0.876-3.110; P = 0.121). Multivariate analysis also identified a low SMI as an independent OS-defining prognostic factor (HR, 2.473; 95% CI, 1.151-5.314; P = 0.020).

CONCLUSION

A low pretreatment SMI is an independent prognostic factor for OS in patients diagnosed with stage III cervical cancer and treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sarcopenia but Were Afraid to Ask: A Quick Guide for Radiation Oncologists (Impact of Sarcopenia in Radiotherapy: The AFRAID Project)

Sarcopenia (SP) is a syndrome characterized by age-associated loss of skeletal muscle mass and function. SP worsens both acute and late radiation-induced toxicity, prognosis, and quality of life. Myosteatosis is a pathological infiltration of muscle tissue by adipose tissue which often precedes SP and has a proven correlation with prognosis in cancer patients. Sarcopenic obesity is considered a "hidden form" of SP (due to large fat mass) and is independently related to higher mortality and worse complications after surgery and systemic treatments with worse prognostic impact compared to SP alone. The evaluation of SP is commonly based on CT images at the level of the middle of the third lumbar vertebra. On this scan, all muscle structures are contoured and then the outlined surface area is calculated. Several studies reported a negative impact of SP on overall survival in patients undergoing RT for tumors of the head and neck, esophagus, rectum, pancreas, cervix, and lung. Furthermore, several appetite-reducing side effects of RT, along with more complex radiation-induced mechanisms, can lead to SP through, but not limited to, reduced nutrition. In particular, in pediatric patients, total body irradiation was associated with the onset of SP and other changes in body composition leading to an increased risk of cardiometabolic morbidity in surviving adults. Finally, some preliminary studies showed the possibility of effectively treating SP and preventing the worsening of SP during RT. Future studies should be able to provide information on how to prevent and manage SP before, during, or after RT, in both adult and pediatric patients.

Impact and Treatment of Sarcopenia in Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy: A Multidisciplinary, AMSTAR-2 Compliant Review of Systematic Reviews and Metanalyses

Background

Sarcopenia (SP) is defined as the quantitative and functional impairment of skeletal muscles. SP is commonly related to older age and is frequent in patients with cancer. To provide an overview of SP in patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) and to evaluate the current evidence, we analyzed the available systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Methods

Reviews were identified using PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane library databases, without date restriction. Only systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the prognostic impact of SP and on any treatments aimed at reducing SP effect, in patients undergoing RT, were included in this review. The analyses not separately reporting the results in patients treated with RT were excluded. The quality assessment was performed using AMSTAR-2 (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews).

Results

From the 84 papers identified, five reviews met the inclusion criteria with four reports mainly including non-randomized trials. Three reviews on the effect of SP showed a significantly negative impact on overall survival in patients undergoing RT and/or chemoradiation for H&N cancers (HR: 1.63-2.07). Two reviews on interventional studies showed the possibility of 1) improving physical functions through nutritional and physical interventions and 2) avoiding muscle wasting by means of sufficient protein intake. The quality assessment of the included review showed that two and three analyses are classifiable as having low and moderate overall confidence rating, respectively.

Conclusions

The analyzed reviews uniformly confirmed the negative impact of SP in patients with H&N tumors undergoing RT and the possibility of improving muscle mass and function through nutritional and physical interventions. These results justify further research on this topic based on a more uniform SP definition and on a complete evaluation of the potentially confounding parameters.

CT anthropometric analysis of the prognosis of traumatic brain injury: A retrospective study to compare between psoas muscle and abdominal skeletal muscle

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have suggested that skeletal muscle area (SMA) and psoas muscle area (PMA), markers for sarcopenia, are associated with the prognosis of many diseases. However, it remains unclear which of the two is a superior prognostic marker. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyse these markers in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHODS

Patients with TBI [abbreviated injury scale (AIS) score of 4 or 5] were selected. Those with an AIS score of 4 or 5 for chest, abdomen, or extremity lesion were excluded. Clinical data, including Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), mortality, and anthropometric data, were collected. SMA and PMA were measured. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) and psoas muscle index (PMI) were calculated for each muscle area divided by height squared. The good prognosis group was defined as patients with a GOS score of 4 to 5. The poor prognosis group was defined as those with a GOS score of 1-3. Data of both groups were analysed for the overall prognosis. After excluding patients with a hospital stay of 1 or 2 days, the modified prognosis and mortality of patients were analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 212 patients were enrolled in the statistical analysis. Patients with good prognosis showed a larger PMA (17.4 cm² vs. 15.0 cm², P = 0.002) and PMI (6.1 cm^2/ m² vs. 5.3 cm^2/ m², P = 0.001). After modification, patients with good prognosis showed a larger PMA (17.4 cm² vs. 14.9 cm², P = 0.002) and PMI (6.1 cm^2/ m² vs. 5.3 cm^2/ m², P = 0.01). On binary logistic regression analysis, PMI was found to be a significant risk factor for the modified prognosis (Odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 0.763 (0.633 - 0.921), P = 0.005) and modified mortality (OR (95% CI): 0.740 (0.573 - 0.957), P = 0.022).

CONCLUSION

Less amount of psoas muscle (PM) was found to be a significant risk factor for the prognosis of patients with TBI. PM was a better prognostic marker than skeletal muscle (SM) in patients with TBI. Further studies are needed to increase our understanding of sarcopenia and TBI.

Extreme leanness, lower skeletal muscle quality, and loss of muscle mass during treatment are predictors of poor prognosis in cervical cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus vaccination is not widespread in Japan, and the low screening rates result in many cases of locally advanced cervical cancer. We investigated the prognostic significance of sarcopenia in patients with cervical cancer to guide healthcare policies to improve treatment outcomes.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 83 patients with cervical cancer without distant metastasis who underwent primary concurrent chemoradiotherapy between 2013 and 2018. We analyzed the indicators of physical condition and muscle quantity using the SYNAPSE VINCENT software. Muscle mass and the relationship between treatment toxicity and prognosis were evaluated.

RESULTS

The patients' median age was 60 (range 33‒80) years. Cancer stage distribution was as follows: cT2b or higher, 84.3%; N1, 65.1%; and MA, 27.7%. The overall sarcopenia (skeletal muscle index [SMI] < 38.5) rate was 30.1%, and the rate was 33.9 and 22.2% in patients aged < 64 and ≥ 65 years, respectively. No correlation was observed between clinical stage and musculoskeletal indices. Treatment resulted in decreased body weight and SMI; after treatment, the sarcopenia rate increased to 37.3%. A higher intramuscular adipose tissue content (IMAC) reduced the number of chemotherapy cycles needed. Treatment-associated SMI decreases of ≥ 7% indicated poor prognosis, with significant differences in progression-free survival and overall survival (p = 0.013 and p = 0.012, respectively). Patients who were very lean (body mass index < 18.5 kg/m²) before treatment had a poor prognosis (p = 0.016 and p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings emphasize the importance of assessing original nutritional status and maintaining muscle mass and quality during the treatment of patients with cervical cancer.

Pre-treatment sarcopenic assessments as a prognostic factor for gynaecology cancer outcomes: systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Gynaecology cancers, including ovarian (OC), endometrial (EC), and cervical (CC), are prevalent with high mortality. Sarcopenia is found in 38.7% of cancer patients, adversely affecting prognosis. Computed tomography (CT) is performed routinely in oncology, yet CT assessments of sarcopenia are not commonly used to measure prognosis. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the prognostic potential of pre-treatment sarcopenia assessments on overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) in gynaecology cancer.

METHODOLOGY

Four electronic databases were systematically searched from 2000 to May 2020 in English: Ovid Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CINAHL plus. Titles and abstracts were screened, eligible full-texts were reviewed, and data from included studies was extracted. Meta-analyses were conducted on homogenous survival data, heterogenous data were narratively reported.

RESULTS

The initial search yielded 767 results; 27 studies were included in the systematic review (n = 4286), all published between 2015 and 2020. Meta-analysis of unadjusted results revealed a negative effect of pre-treatment sarcopenia on OS in OC (HR: 1.40, 1.20-1.64, p < 0.0001) (n = 10), EC (HR: 1.42, 0.97-2.10, p = 0.07) (n = 4) and CC (HR: 1.10, 0.93-1.31, p = 0.28) (n = 5), and a negative effect on PFS in OC (HR: 1.28, 1.11-1.46, p = 0.0005) (n = 8), EC (HR: 1.51, 1.03-2.20, p = 0.03) (n = 2) and CC (HR: 1.14, 0.85-1.53, p = 0.37) (n = 2). Longitudinal analysis indicated negative effects of muscle loss on survival. Overall, there was a high risk of bias.

CONCLUSION

Pre-treatment sarcopenia negatively affected survival in gynaecology cancers. Incorporating such assessments into cancer management may be beneficial. Heterogeneity in sarcopenia assessments makes data interpretation challenging. Further research in prospective studies is required.

Progressive Skeletal Muscle Loss After Surgery and Adjuvant Radiotherapy Impact Survival Outcomes in Patients With Early Stage Cervical Cancer

The effect of skeletal muscle loss associated with surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy on survival outcomes in patients with early-stage cervical cancer remains unclear. We analyzed the data of 133 patients with early-stage cervical cancer who underwent surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy between 2013 and 2018 at two tertiary centers. Skeletal muscle changes were measured using computed tomography scans at baseline, at simulation for radiotherapy, and at 3 months post-treatment. A decrease of ≥5% in the skeletal muscle was defined as “muscle loss.” The Patient-Reported Outcome version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE) was used to assess gastrointestinal toxicity. The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) was used for nutritional assessment. Predictors of overall survival were identified using the Cox regression models. The median follow-up period was 3.7 years. After treatment, 32 patients (24.1%) experienced muscle loss. The rate of muscle loss was higher in patients with PRO-CTCAE score ≥3 or PG-SGA score ≥4 at the end of radiotherapy than in patients with PRO-CTCAE score ≤2 or PG-SGA score 0–3 (75.0 vs. 10.5%, p < 0.001; 71.4 vs. 2.2%, p < 0.001). The 3-year overall survival was significantly lower in patients with muscle loss than in those with muscle preserved (65.6 vs. 93.9%, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that muscle loss was independently associated with poor overall survival (hazard ratio, 4.55; 95% confidence interval: 1.63–12.72; p < 0.001). Muscle loss after surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy was associated with poor overall survival in patients with early-stage cervical cancer. Muscle loss is associated with patient-reported gastrointestinal toxicity and deterioration in nutritional status.

Association between sarcopenia and survival in patients with gynecologic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Despite prior attempts to evaluate the effects of sarcopenia on survival among patients with gynecologic cancer, the results of these studies have not been consistent. The present study evaluated the association between sarcopenia and survival among patients with gynecologic cancer by aggregating multiple studies.

Methods

We performed a literature search using computerized databases and identified additional studies included in the bibliographies of retrieved articles. The quality of each study was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and meta-analyses were performed to evaluate overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). We constructed a forest plot for each outcome and assessed publication bias using Begg's test. Heterogeneity was assessed using I² statistics.

Results

From the 5,933 initially identified articles, 16 studies describing 2,031 participants with a mean age of 60.34 years were included in the meta-analysis. We found that compared with patients with gynecologic cancer but without sarcopenia, patients with sarcopenia had worse OS, with a pooled hazard ratio (HR) of 2.61 (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.52-4.46), and worse PFS (HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.09-1.73). The quality of studies was generally good, and no publication bias was detected among studies for either OS or PFS. Although 4 of 12 studies were of fair quality, we conducted a sensitivity analysis excluding studies or fair quality and obtained similar results.

Conclusions

These meta-analysis results suggest that sarcopenia is associated with worse OS and PFS among patients with gynecologic cancer. The use of different case definitions appeared to be a major source of heterogeneity among the studies. Further studies remain necessary to confirm our findings, especially those examining OS and PFS, because publication bias was identified.

Nomogram of Combining CT-Based Body Composition Analyses and Prognostic Inflammation Score: Prediction of Survival in Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Patients

PURPOSE

To investigate the value of body composition changes measured by quantitative computer tomography (QCT) in evaluating the prognosis of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC) patients who underwent primary debulking surgery (PDS) and adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy, and constructed a nomogram model for predicting survival in combination with prognostic inflammation score (PIS).

METHOD

Fifty-seven patients with AEOC between 2012 and 2016 were retrospectively enrolled. Pre- and post-treatment CT images were used to analyze the body composition biomarkers. The subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), cross-sectional area of paraspinal skeletal muscle area (PMA), skeletal muscle density (SMD), body mineral density (BMD) were measured from two sets of CT images.

RESULTS

In multivariate analyses, VFA gain, PMA loss, BMD loss, and PIS were independent risk factors of overall survival (OS) (HR = 3.7, 3.0, 2.8, 1.9, respectively, all p < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed that the prognostic model combining body composition changes (BCC) and PIS had the highest predictive performance (area under the curve = 0.890). The concordance index (C-index) of the prognostic nomogram was 0.779 (95% CI, 0.673-0.886). Decision curve analysis (DCA) demonstrated the prognostic nomogram had a great distinguishing performance.

CONCLUSION

CT-based body composition analyses and PIS were associated with poor OS for AEOC patients who underwent PDS and adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy. The prognostic nomogram with a combination of BCC and PIS was dependable in predicting survival for AEOC patients during treatment.

Molecular Markers to Predict Prognosis and Treatment Response in Uterine Cervical Cancer

Uterine cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality in women worldwide. Each year, over half a million new cases are estimated, resulting in more than 300,000 deaths. While less-invasive, fertility-preserving surgical procedures can be offered to women in early stages, treatment for locally advanced disease may include radical hysterectomy, primary chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or a combination of these modalities. Concurrent platinum-based chemoradiotherapy regimens remain the first-line treatments for locally advanced cervical cancer. Despite achievements such as the introduction of angiogenesis inhibitors, and more recently immunotherapies, the overall survival of women with persistent, recurrent or metastatic disease has not been extended significantly in the last decades. Furthermore, a broad spectrum of molecular markers to predict therapy response and survival and to identify patients with high- and low-risk constellations is missing. Implementation of these markers, however, may help to further improve treatment and to develop new targeted therapies. This review aims to provide comprehensive insights into the complex mechanisms of cervical cancer pathogenesis within the context of molecular markers for predicting treatment response and prognosis.

The influence process of sarcopenia on female cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is one of the early pathological manifestations of cancer cachexia. This change in quality and function has a general and special impact on the prognosis of many types of tumors. However, there are few studies to evaluate the overall impact of sarcopenia on the prognosis of gynecological tumors in sufficient follow-up period.

METHODS

This study systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, web of science, and MEDLINE databases for related studies and related references since April 15, 2021. The 1-year, 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), hazard ratio (HR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were analyzed by Stata 14.0.(CRD 42021236036).

RESULTS

A total of 23 observational studies involving 3495 female patients were included in the analysis, with an average prevalence of 46.9% (38.5%-55.3%). Meta-analysis showed that the 1-year OS (RR: 1.60, 95% CI = [1.04, 2.46]) of patients with sarcopenia was significantly lower than that of patients without sarcopenia, and then this effect gradually decreased. The results showed that sarcopenia was an independent predictor of OS (HR: 1.78, 95% CI = [1.38, 2.30]) and PFS (HR: 1.32, 95% CI = [1.02, 1.70]) in gynecological cancer patients. Subgroup analysis showed that sarcopenia was significant in Asian population (HR: 1.93, 95% CI = [1.18, 3.17]) and cervical cancer patients (HR: 5.07, 95% CI = [2.82, 9.56]).

CONCLUSION

The survival and recurrence outcome of patients with sarcopenia independently related to surgery, and its impact is very obvious in the short term. In addition, Asian participants with sarcopenia face a greater risk of death than Western participants.

Association of Patient-Reported Outcomes and Nutrition with Body Composition in Women with Gynecologic Cancer Undergoing Post-Operative Pelvic Radiotherapy: An Observational Study

Pelvic radiotherapy is associated with gastrointestinal toxicities and deterioration of nutritional status. This study aimed to investigate the association of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and nutritional status with body composition changes in women who underwent hysterectomy and post-operative radiotherapy for gynecologic cancer. We analyzed data of 210 patients treated with post-operative pelvic radiotherapy for gynecologic cancer between 2013 and 2018. The PRO version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE) was used for gastrointestinal toxicity assessment. The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) was used for nutritional assessment. Skeletal muscle index was measured from computed tomography scans at the L3 vertebral level. A reduction in skeletal muscle index ≥ 5% was classified as muscle loss. Odds ratios were calculated through logistic regression models. The PG-SGA score increased from the beginning to the end of radiotherapy (1.4 vs. 3.7, p < 0.001). Patients with PRO-CTCAE scores ≥ 3 had significantly higher PG-SGA scores at the end of radiotherapy than those with PRO-CTCAE scores ≤ 2 (8.1 vs. 2.3, p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, PRO-CTCAE scores ≥ 3 and PG-SGA scores ≥ 4 at the end of radiotherapy were independently associated with increased risk of muscle loss (odds ratio: 8.81, p < 0.001; odds ratio: 72.96, p < 0.001, respectively). PROs and PG-SGA may be considered as markers of muscle loss after post-operative pelvic radiotherapy for gynecologic cancer.

Association of bowel radiation dose-volume with skeletal muscle loss during pelvic intensity-modulated radiotherapy in cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

Radiation-induced bowel damage may compromise nutrient absorption and digestion and affect body composition during pelvic radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between bowel radiation dose-volume and body composition changes during pelvic radiotherapy.

METHODS

Data of 301 LACC patients treated with chemoradiotherapy were analyzed. Changes in skeletal muscle index (SMI) and density (SMD), and total adipose tissue index (TATI) were measured from computed tomography images at the L3 vertebral level. A reduction in SMI, SMD, or TATI of ≥10% was classified as "loss." Bowel V45 indicates the bowel volume (mL) receiving a radiation dose of ≥45 Gy. The relationship between body composition and bowel V45 was analyzed using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

After treatment, 61 (20.3%), 81 (26.9%), and 97 (32.2%) patients experienced SMI, SMD, and TATI loss, respectively. Increased bowel V45 was independently associated with increased odds of SMI loss (odds ratio [OR]: 1.012; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.007-1.018; p<0.001) and TATI loss (OR: 1.006; 95% CI: 1.001-1.010; p=0.01), but not with SMD loss (OR: 1.005; 95% CI: 1.000-1.009; p=0.054). The cut-off value with the highest accuracy for predicting SMI loss was V45 ≥222 mL; a higher rate of SMI loss was noted in 40.0% of patients with V45 ≥222 mL than in 13.7% of patients with V45 <222 mL (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher bowel dose-volume was significantly associated with muscle loss during pelvic radiotherapy. Bowel dose-volume consideration is required in individualized nutritional counseling and supportive care in clinical practice.

Cancer cachexia and treatment toxicity

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cancer cachexia is a metabolic disturbance resulting in a loss of skeletal muscle mass that is generally not reversed through traditional nutritional interventions. We review on both the impact of nutritional status on cancer treatment side effects, as well as cancer- specific outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS

Cancer-specific cachexia and sarcopenia are associated with increased treatment-associated toxicity, and overall worse cancer-specific outcomes across all cancer types in surgical, chemotherapeutic, and radiotherapeutic populations. Despite the fact that cancer cachexia is generally thought to be irreversible, there is some evidence that nutritional intervention can be helpful.

SUMMARY

Nutritional status is an important factor to consider in determining cancer therapy. Patients with poor nutritional status should be identified prior to the initiation of therapy and be monitored judiciously.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of sarcopenia as a prognostic factor in gynecological malignancy

Introduction

Sarcopenia is a condition described as the progressive generalized loss of muscle mass and strength. While sarcopenia has been linked with poorer outcomes following a variety of malignancies, its relationship with all gynecological cancer clinical outcomes has, to date, not been evaluated. This review interrogates the concept of sarcopenia as a prognostic tool for oncological outcomes and adverse effects of treatments in all primary gynecological malignancies.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines, searching PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL without date or language restriction for studies reporting on sarcopenia and gynecological malignancies. Random effects meta-analysis models were used to determine the effects of sarcopenia on progression-free survival, overall survival, and treatment-related adverse events.

Results

Data were analyzed from 13 studies, including 2446 patients (range 60–323) with ovarian cancer (n=1381), endometrial cancer (n=354), or cervical cancer (n=481). Sarcopenia was associated with lower progression-free survival (HR 1.69, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.76), overall survival (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.64), and no increase in adverse events (HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.69 to 2.40). The risk of bias of the studies was mostly rated unclear, and Begg’s and Egger’s test revealed a potential publication bias for progression-free survival and overall survval, although the HRs remained significant when adjusting for it.

Conclusion

Sarcopenia is associated with worse progression-free survival and overall survival in gynecological oncology malignancies. Further research is warranted to validate these findings in larger and prospective samples using standardized methodology and to examine if an intervention could reverse its effect in gynecological oncology trials.

Quantifying skeletal muscle wasting during chemoradiotherapy with Jacobian calculations for the prediction of survival and toxicity in patients with gastric cancer

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

This study aims to investigate changes in body composition during adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) quantitatively and visually in patients with gastric cancer and evaluate the correlation of the changes with survival and toxicity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 182 gastric cancer patients who underwent surgery and adjuvant CRT were included. CT images at the level of the third lumbar vertebra (L3) were analyzed to assess the areas of muscles. We further proposed a framework to quantify muscle changes using Jacobian calculations. Jacobian value (Jac) was calculated for each voxel of muscle by measuring the ratio of muscle changes, where Jac <1 indicated shrinkage and Jac >1 indicated expansion. Variances between the pre- and post-CRT body composition were quantitatively computed, and their impact on toxicity and long-term outcomes were studied.

RESULTS

The skeletal muscle index decreased from 44.4 ± 7.4 cm²/m² to 43.6 ± 7.0 cm²/m² after CRT. Skeletal muscle wasting and Jac 0.35 ≥ 5% were negatively associated with overall survival (p = 0.036 and p = 0.008, respectively). A new prediction model combining clinical variables and Jacobian features was constructed, and yielded a c statistic of 0.78 (95% CI 0.68-0.87). Jac 0.75 to Jac 1.15 (-25%<muscle changes<15%) were illustrated to be predictive for toxicity of concurrent chemotherapy, with the most significant predictor being Jac 1 (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

The Jacobian calculations are novel tools for quantifying morphometric changes and the distribution of body composition. The new predictive model combining clinical variables and Jacobian features achieved high accuracy for predicting overall survival.

Muscle Loss after Chemoradiotherapy as a Biomarker of Distant Failures in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer

This study aimed to evaluate whether computed tomography (CT)-based muscle measurement predicts distant failure in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Data from 278 patients with LACC who underwent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) between 2004 and 2017 were analysed. Changes in the skeletal muscle index (SMI), skeletal muscle density, and total adipose tissue index during CCRT were calculated from CT images taken at the baseline and after CCRT. The predictive capability of CT-based muscle measurement for distant failure was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression, Harrell’s concordance index (C-index), and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves. SMI loss ≥ 5% was independently associated with worse distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS) (HR: 6.31, 95% CI: 3.18–12.53; p < 0.001). The addition of muscle change to clinical models, including International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, lymph nodes, pathology, and squamous cell carcinoma-antigen, achieved higher C-indices (0.824 vs. 0.756; p < 0.001). Models including muscle change had superior C-indices than those including weight change (0.824 vs. 0.758; p < 0.001). The area under the curve for predicting 3-year DRFS was the highest for the muscle-loss model (0.802, muscle-loss model; 0.635, clinical model; and 0.646, weight-loss model). Our study demonstrated that muscle loss after CCRT was independently associated with worse DRFS and that integrating muscle loss into models including classical prognostic factors improved the prediction of distant failure.

The Relationship between Imaging-Based Body Composition Analysis and the Systemic Inflammatory Response in Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review

Background and aim: Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. Nutritional status (cachexia) and systemic inflammation play a significant role in predicting cancer outcome. The aim of the present review was to examine the relationship between imaging-based body composition and systemic inflammation in patients with cancer. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar were searched up to 31 March 2019 for published articles using MESH terms cancer, body composition, systemic inflammation, Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound sonography (USS) and computed tomography (CT). Studies performed in adult patients with cancer describing the relationship between imaging-based body composition and measures of the systemic inflammatory response were included in this review. Results: The literature search retrieved 807 studies and 23 met the final eligibility criteria and consisted of prospective and retrospective cohort studies comprising 11,474 patients. CT was the most common imaging modality used (20 studies) and primary operable (16 studies) and colorectal cancer (10 studies) were the most commonly studied cancers. Low skeletal muscle index (SMI) and systemic inflammation were consistently associated; both had a prognostic value and this relationship between low SMI and systemic inflammation was confirmed in four longitudinal studies. There was also evidence that skeletal muscle density (SMD) and systemic inflammation were associated (9 studies). Discussion: The majority of studies examining the relationship between CT based body composition and systemic inflammation were in primary operable diseases and in patients with colorectal cancer. These studies showed that there was a consistent association between low skeletal muscle mass and the presence of a systemic inflammatory response. These findings have important implications for the definition of cancer cachexia and its treatment.

Muscle radiodensity loss during cancer therapy is predictive for poor survival in advanced endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

Treatment-related toxicities and decreased levels of patient performance during cancer therapy might contribute to body composition changes and thereby impact outcomes. However, the effect of longitudinal body composition changes on outcomes in patients with advanced endometrial cancer is unknown. This study investigated the association between body composition changes during staging surgery and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and outcomes in patients with stage III endometrial cancer.

METHODS

Pretreatment and post-treatment computed tomography (CT) images of 131 patients with stage III endometrial cancer who were treated between 2008 and 2016 were analysed. All CT images were contrast enhanced and acquired according to the standardized protocol. The skeletal muscle index (SMI), skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD), and total adipose tissue index were measured from two sets of CT images obtained at the level of the third lumbar vertebra. The skeletal muscle gauge was calculated by multiplying SMI by SMD (SMI × SMD). Predictors of overall survival and progression-free survival were identified using Cox regression models.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 50.6 (range 12.1-117.0) months. Overall, body mass index (BMI) changes during treatment were 0.4% per 210 days (95% confidence interval: -0.6 to 1.4; P = 0.41), and patients experienced an average SMD loss of 2.1% per 210 days (95% confidence interval: -4.0 to -0.2; P = 0.03). Weight loss and SMD loss ≥5% were observed in 23 (17.6%) and 54 (41.2%) patients, respectively. The changes in SMD did not correlate with those in BMI (Spearman's ρ for SMD, -0.13; P = 0.13). SMD change (per 1 Hounsfield unit/210 days decrease) was independently associated with poorer overall survival (hazard ratio: 1.32, 95% confidence interval: 1.14-1.52; P < 0.001) and progression-free survival (hazard ratio: 1.28, 95% confidence interval: 1.12-1.43; P < 0.001). Our results did not show association between survival and pretreatment myosteatosis and sarcopenia or changes in SMI and total adipose tissue index during treatment. The pretreatment skeletal muscle gauge was associated with treatment modifications such as delays, dose reductions, and discontinuation of chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Skeletal muscle radiodensity decreased significantly during treatment and was independently associated with poorer survival in patients with stage III endometrial cancer who underwent staging surgery and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. SMD loss was occult and occurred independently of BMI change.

Sarcopenia in Ovarian Cancer Patients, Oncologic Outcomes Revealing the Importance of Clinical Nutrition: Review of Literature

INTRODUCTION

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among gynecological malignancies. Its usual clinical manifestation is at advanced stages, with nutritional impairment, weight loss, and a consequent decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength (defined as sarcopenia). The relationship between sarcopenia and decreased survival was demonstrated not only in ovarian cancer but also in other cancer types, such as hepatocellular, pancreatic, lung, colon, cervical, metastatic breast, and renal cancer. The aim of this study is to review the current evidence regarding the relationship between sarcopenia and the surgical and oncological outcomes in ovarian cancer patients.

METHODS

The systematic search was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRSIMA) statement. The terms "SARCOPENIA" AND "OVARIAN CANCER" were systematically used to search PubMed and Scopus databases. Original reports in English language were identified, with the purpose to include all relevant papers regarding the role of sarcopenia and indicators of skeletal muscle quality assessment in gynecological ovarian cancer.

RESULTS

A total of 9 studies were considered eligible for the present review. The strength of recommendation was moderate and the level of evidence was low in all selected articles. No prospective studies were conducted and most of the papers were case-control series comparing ovarian cancer sarcopenic population vs. non sarcopenic population.

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia appears to have an important role in oncological outcomes of ovarian cancer patients. However, sarcopenia occurrence during disease history and mechanisms underlying the possible impairment in prognosis should be better investigated. Prospective trials are awaited in order to obtain a better insight in this topic.