ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THIGH MUSCLE COMPOSITION AND MORTALITY IN PATIENTS NEWLY DIAGNOSED WITH COLORECTAL CANCER
Cancer; muscle mass; skeletal muscle radiodensity; skeletal muscle index; mortality; body composition
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Patients with RCC often have low skeletal muscle mass, which is associated with a worse prognosis. This multicenter cohort study including adults (> 18 years) analyzed the thigh musculature in patients newly diagnosed with RCC, using computed tomography (CT) as an assessment tool. The CT images were analyzed to assess skeletal muscle (SM in cm²), skeletal muscle index (SMI in cm²/m²), and skeletal muscle density (SMD in HU). Muscle abnormalities (low SM, SMI, and SMD) were defined as values below the gender median. Kaplan-Meyer curves and hazard ratios (HR) for low MWS, SMI, and MDS were evaluated for overall mortality, stratified by sex. A total of 257 patients were included in the final analysis. The mean age of the patients was 62.6 ± 12.1 years and 50.2% (n = 129) were female. In men, low thigh SMI was associated with lower survival (log-rank P = 0.02). In addition, low SMI (cm2/m2) was independently associated with higher mortality rates (adjusted HR 2.08, 95% CI 1.03 to 4.18). It is concluded that CT assessment of the thigh muscles can provide valuable information for clinical management, allowing for more effective strategies to improve survival and quality of life in these patients