The impact of preoperative sarcopenia on postoperative complications following esophagectomy for esophageal neoplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Esophageal cancer is characterized by profound changes in body composition due to dysphagia and generalized cachexia. Sarcopenia or muscle wasting is a component of cachexia associated with poor postoperative performance status. The skeletal muscle index (SMI) calculated by computed tomography scans at the level of the third lumbar vertebra is an easily quantifiable and reproducible measure of sarcopenia.