Change in Skeletal Muscle Following Resection of Stage I-III Colorectal Cancer is Predictive of Poor Survival: A Cohort Study.

Background: Sarcopenia at time of diagnosis predicts worse survival outcomes. It is currently unknown how changes in muscle mass over time interact with sarcopenia in colorectal patients treated with curative intent. Objectives of this study were to quantify sarcopenia and skeletal muscle loss from time of diagnosis to end of surveillance and determine its effect on survival outcomes after completion of 2 years of surveillance.

The Impact of Muscle and Adipose Tissue on Long-term Survival in Patients With Stage I to III Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Computed tomography-derived body composition parameters are emerging prognostic factors in colorectal cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the roles of sarcopenia, myosteatosis, and obesity as independent and overlapping parameters in stage I to III colorectal cancer.

Design: This is a retrospective cohort study from a prospectively collected database.

Interactions of lean soft-tissue and chemotherapy toxicities in patients receiving anti-cancer treatments.

Use of cross-sectional imaging to identify whole-body lean soft-tissue mass has recently emerged as an attractive prognostic factor for chemotherapy toxicities. Beyond that, there is increasing interest in use of lean soft-tissue mass as a more accurate method for dosing chemotherapy, as compared to body surface area. In this review, we summarize the current evidence that supports interactions between skeletal muscle and chemotherapy, the role of lean soft tissue in predicting chemotherapy toxicities and potential use of an alternate method of chemotherapeutic dosing, all based on quantification of skeletal muscle mass by computed tomography.

Barriers to the Interpretation of Body Composition in Colorectal Cancer: A Review of the Methodological Inconsistency and Complexity of the CT-Defined Body Habitus.

Background: Measurement of body composition by computed tomography (CT) is an advancing field. Sarcopenia, myosteatosis, and visceral obesity (VO) have been identified as predictive of survival in colorectal cancer (CRC). We performed a systematic review of contemporary studies to characterize this association and highlight methodological inconsistencies.

A review of body composition and pharmacokinetics in oncology.

Body surface area dosing of chemotherapeutic agents is based on limited scientific data, and often results in unpredictable plasma drug levels. Cross-sectional computed tomography (CT) imaging provides an accurate measurement of lean mass. This review summarizes emerging roles of lean mass in predicting pharmacokinetics and drug toxicities in cancer patients.