Skeletal muscle is independently associated with grade 3-4 toxicity in advanced stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients receiving chemotherapy.

Background: Patients with advanced-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are regularly treated with FOLFIRINOX, a chemotherapy regimen based on 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan and oxaliplatin, which is associated with high toxicity. Dosing of FOLFIRINOX is based on body surface area, risking under- or overdosing caused by altered pharmacokinetics due to interindividual differences in body composition. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between body composition and treatment toxicity in advanced stage PDAC patients treated with FOLFIRINOX.