Visceral obesity, muscle mass and outcome in rectal cancer surgery after neo-adjuvant chemo-radiation.

Background: Preoperative chemoradiation has become a routine modality in the treatment of rectal carcinoma that may impair a patients general condition. In these patients, it is important to identify factors that influence postoperative recovery. Visceral obesity(VO) as a metabolic risk factor was studied in rectal cancer patients receiving preoperative chemoradiation.