Re-Evaluating Chemotherapy Dosing Strategies for Ovarian Cancer: Impact of Sarcopenia

We investigated the impact of sarcopenia on adjuvant chemotherapy dosing in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The chemotherapy dosing and toxicity of 173 eligible patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy at a single institution were analyzed. Patients with a skeletal muscle index less than 39 cm2/m2 measured on a CT scan were considered sarcopenic. Sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients were compared with regard to relative dose intensity (RDI), completion of scheduled chemotherapy, toxicity, and survival. A total of 62 (35.8%) women were sarcopenic. Sarcopenic women were less likely to complete at least six cycles of chemotherapy (83.9% vs. 95.5%, p = 0.02). The mean RDI for both carboplatin (80.4% vs. 89.4%, p = 0.03) and paclitaxel (91.9% vs. 104.1%, p = 0.03) was lower in sarcopenic patients compared to non-sarcopenic patients. Despite these differences in chemotherapy, there was no difference in neutropenia or median overall survival (3.99 vs. 4.57 years, p = 0.62) between the sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic women, respectively. This study highlights the importance of considering lean body mass instead of body weight or surface area in chemotherapy dosing formulas for sarcopenic women with advanced EOC. Further research is needed to optimize chemotherapy strategies based on individual body composition, potentially leading to improved dosing strategies in this population.

Sarcopenia in Lung Cancer: A Narrative Review

It has been over 10 years since the relationship between sarcopenia and lung cancer was first explored. Since then, sarcopenia research has progressed substantially, and the prognostic value of this condition is becoming increasingly apparent. Prior systematic reviews and meta-analyses have established sarcopenia to be negatively associated with disease-free and overall-survival, as well as a major risk factor for post-operative complications. The bulk of the literature has explored sarcopenia in the resectable setting, with less emphasis placed on studies evaluating this condition in advanced disease. In this up-to-date review, an examination of the literature exploring the association between sarcopenia and long-term outcomes in advanced lung cancer is provided. We further explore the association between adverse events of medical therapy and the role of sarcopenia as a predictor of tumor response. Finally, the interventions on sarcopenia and cancer cachexia are reviewed, with an emphasis placed on prospective studies.

Theranostic applications of selenium nanomedicines against lung cancer

The incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer are among the highest in the world. Traditional treatment methods include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Although rapid progress has been achieved in the past decade, treatment limitations remain. It is therefore imperative to identify safer and more effective therapeutic methods, and research is currently being conducted to identify more efficient and less harmful drugs. In recent years, the discovery of antitumor drugs based on the essential trace element selenium (Se) has provided good prospects for lung cancer treatments. In particular, compared to inorganic Se (Inorg-Se) and organic Se (Org-Se), Se nanomedicine (Se nanoparticles; SeNPs) shows much higher bioavailability and antioxidant activity and lower toxicity. SeNPs can also be used as a drug delivery carrier to better regulate protein and DNA biosynthesis and protein kinase C activity, thus playing a role in inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. SeNPs can also effectively activate antigen-presenting cells to stimulate cell immunity, exert regulatory effects on innate and regulatory immunity, and enhance lung cancer immunotherapy. This review summarizes the application of Se-based species and materials in lung cancer diagnosis, including fluorescence, MR, CT, photoacoustic imaging and other diagnostic methods, as well as treatments, including direct killing, radiosensitization, chemotherapeutic sensitization, photothermodynamics, and enhanced immunotherapy. In addition, the application prospects and challenges of Se-based drugs in lung cancer are examined, as well as their forecasted future clinical applications and sustainable development.

Body composition as a predictor of chemotherapy-related toxicity in ovarian cancer patients: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this systematic review was to examine the literature evaluating association of image-based body composition with chemotherapy-related toxicity in ovarian cancer patients. A secondary objective was to evaluate the different definitions of sarcopenia across studies.

METHODS

This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA-DTA statement and the protocol was registered on Prospero. A comprehensive literature search of 3 electronic databases was performed by two authors. For each eligible article, information was collected concerning the clinical setting; basic study data; population characteristics; technical aspects; body composition features; chemotherapy drugs administered; association of body composition values and toxicities. The overall quality of the included studies was critically evaluated.

RESULTS

After the initial retrieval of 812 articles, the systematic review included 6 articles (5/6 studies were retrospective; one was prospective). The number of patients ranged between 69 and 239; mean/median age ranged between 55 and 65 years; the percentage of sarcopenic patients ranged between 25% and 54%. The cut-off values to define sarcopenia and the vertebral levels for evaluation of body composition were different. Five studies included chemotherapy based on carboplatin and paclitaxel, 1 included chemotherapy based on pegylated liposomal doxorubicin. Among the studies including carboplatin and paclitaxel, 3/5 demonstrated an association with toxicity, whereas 2/5 did not. Altogether, 4/6 papers demonstrated an association between the body composition values and the development of chemotherapy-related toxicities.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a wide variability of results about the association of body composition and chemotherapy-related toxicity in ovarian cancer patients. Therefore further studies, possibly including a comprehensive assessment of body compartments and where the definition of body composition cut-offs is constant, are warranted to better understand this association.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022337753, identifier (CRD42022337753).

Body composition and chemotherapy toxicity in women with early breast cancer (CANDO-3): protocol for an observational cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Systemic anticancer therapy is given to selected patients with early breast cancer (EBC) before or after surgery with the aim of eradicating micrometastatic spread and reducing the risk of cancer recurrence. Chemotherapy treatment is most effective when patients receive the optimum dose, on time and without delays or reductions in their treatment doses. Most chemotherapy drugs are dosed according to body surface area calculated from a patient's height and weight. These calculations were however designed based on data from normal weight patients. This has resulted in uncertainty as to the optimal dosing for patients with different amounts of blood, muscle and fatty tissue (body composition). This study uses segmental bioelectrical impedance analysis (using the Seca mBCA 515) to determine whether differences in the measures of resistance and reactance, and derived estimates of body composition, are predictive of chemotherapy toxicity in the treatment of EBC.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A prospective observational cohort study of women with EBC in whom adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy is planned. A total of 300 participants will be recruited across nine UK hospital sites. The primary outcome is to determine if higher fat mass index is associated with increased National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0 grade 3 (or higher) chemotherapy toxicity.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has received ethical approval from the South Central Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee, England (19/SC/0596: IRAS: 263666). The chief investigator and coinvestigators will be responsible for publication of the study findings in a peer-reviewed journal, on behalf of all collaborators.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN79577461.

Computed Tomography-Based Body Composition in Patients With Ovarian Cancer: Association With Chemotoxicity and Prognosis

Purpose

To assess the association between computed tomography (CT)-derived quantitative measures of body composition profiling and chemotherapy-related complications, in terms of dose reduction, premature discontinuation of chemotherapy, and cycle delays in patients with ovarian cancer. Secondary purposes were to evaluate associations between sarcopenia and survival, and to evaluate differences in body composition profiling at baseline and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Materials and Methods

The study population was retrospectively selected from a database of patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer (any stage) referred to our Institution between Feb 2011 and Mar 2020. Clinical data were recorded, and CT images at the level of the 3^rd lumbar vertebra were stored. By using specific software, skeletal muscle area (SMA), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and skeletal muscle density (SMD) were extracted. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was then calculated. Statistical analysis was performed by logistic regression models to identify body composition features predictive of dose reduction, premature end of chemotherapy, and cycle delays. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to assess overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The log-rank test was used to determine differences in OS and PFS between sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients. Wilcoxon test was performed to compare body composition features before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).

Results

Sixty-nine patients were included. A significant association was found between VAT and cycle delays (OR = 1.01, z = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.00–1.02, p < 0.05), between SMA and early discontinuation of chemotherapy (OR = 1.03, z = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.00–1.05, p < 0.05), and between mean SMD and cycle delays (OR = 0.92, z = −2.70, 95%CI: 0.87–0.98, p < 0.01). No significant difference emerged for OS in sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients, nor in CT body composition features before and after NACT.

Conclusions

In ovarian cancer patients, CT-derived body composition profiling might predict the risk of chemotoxicity. In particular, VAT and SMD are associated with chemotherapy cycle delays, and SMA with early discontinuation of chemotherapy.

Association of body composition with toxicity to first-line chemotherapy and three-year survival in women with ovarian adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the association of body composition with toxicity to first-line chemotherapy and three-year survival in women with ovarian adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

We enrolled, in a retrospective cohort, 239 women treated with carboplatin and paclitaxel between 2008 and 2017. Pretreatment computed tomography scans were used to quantify skeletal muscle index (SMI), skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD), and subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SATI). Chemotherapy doses, related toxicities, potential drug-drug interactions (DDI), and clinical variables were collected from medical records. Outcomes were the number of adverse events ≥ grade 3 toxicity, toxicity-induced modification of treatment (TIMT), and three-year survival.

RESULTS

Average age was 56.3 years and 35.1% had myopenia. Almost 33% had TIMT and 51.3% presented any grade 3 toxicity. Potential severe DDI occurred in 48.1% of the patients and 65.1% died three years after the first treatment. The SMD and SATI below the median were independent predictors for the number of adverse events ≥ grade 3 and TIMT. Also, SMD was the only body composition parameter able to predict reduced three-year survival. The SMI was not associated with any of the outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Fewer amounts of SATI and low SMD were associated with the occurrence of toxicity to chemotherapy, and the low SMD increased the risk of death in the three years after oncologic treatment.

The Roles of circMTO1 in Cancer

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a recently discovered type of covalently-closed circular non-coding RNAs, mainly formed by non-sequential back-splicing of precursor mRNAs (pre-mRNAs). Recent studies have demonstrated that circRNAs can have either oncogenic or tumor-suppressor roles depending on the cellular context. CircRNA mitochondrial tRNA translation optimization 1 (circMTO1), a recently reported circular RNA originating from exons of MTO1 located on chromosome 6q13, was proved to be abnormally expressed in many malignant tumors, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric carcinoma and colorectal cancer, resulting in tumor initiation and progression. However, there are no reviews focusing on the roles of circMTO1 in cancer. Here, we first summarize the main biological characteristics of circMTO1, and then focus on its biological functions and the possible underlying molecular mechanisms. Finally, we summarize the roles of circMTO1 in cancer and discuss future prospects in this area of research.

The impact of body composition on treatment in ovarian cancer: a current insight

INTRODUCTION

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains the most lethal of gynecological cancers. Sarcopenia and low Skeletal Muscle Radiodensity (SMD) are highly prevalent in EOC. Cross sectional imaging via MRI and CT are considered the gold standard for quantification of muscle mass and muscle density. Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI) and SMD-based thresholds for sarcopenia in EOC vary significantly and specific EOC thresholds for sarcopenia have not been defined.

AREAS COVERED

Sarcopenia and low SMD are highly prevalent in EOC affecting between 11-68% and 21-35% of women, respectively. SMD may be a better prognostic biomarker in ovarian cancer than SMI. Reduced SMI and SMD may also influence the risk of postoperative complications but further studies are required. There is increasing evidence that sarcopenia increases during neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

EXPERT COMMENTARY

Prehabilitation studies in surgical oncology indicate encouraging results, such as, maintenance of SMI, reduced length of stay and surgical complication rates, improved health-related quality of life and functional capacity. Early identification of body composition abnormalities would permit targeted intervention prior to, and after surgery. Cross-sectional imaging is routinely used for staging and surveillance of EOC patients and hence assessment of body composition abnormalities is possible and an underutilized resource.

Targeting the Activin Receptor Signaling to Counteract the Multi-Systemic Complications of Cancer and Its Treatments

Muscle wasting, i.e., cachexia, frequently occurs in cancer and associates with poor prognosis and increased morbidity and mortality. Anticancer treatments have also been shown to contribute to sustainment or exacerbation of cachexia, thus affecting quality of life and overall survival in cancer patients. Pre-clinical studies have shown that blocking activin receptor type 2 (ACVR2) or its ligands and their downstream signaling can preserve muscle mass in rodents bearing experimental cancers, as well as in chemotherapy-treated animals. In tumor-bearing mice, the prevention of skeletal and respiratory muscle wasting was also associated with improved survival. However, the definitive proof that improved survival directly results from muscle preservation following blockade of ACVR2 signaling is still lacking, especially considering that concurrent beneficial effects in organs other than skeletal muscle have also been described in the presence of cancer or following chemotherapy treatments paired with counteraction of ACVR2 signaling. Hence, here, we aim to provide an up-to-date literature review on the multifaceted anti-cachectic effects of ACVR2 blockade in preclinical models of cancer, as well as in combination with anticancer treatments.

Impact of musculoskeletal degradation on cancer outcomes and strategies for management in clinical practice

The prevalence of malnutrition in patients with cancer is one of the highest of all patient groups. Weight loss (WL) is a frequent manifestation of malnutrition in cancer and several large-scale studies have reported that involuntary WL affects 50-80% of patients with cancer, with the degree of WL dependent on tumour site, type and stage of disease. The study of body composition in oncology using computed tomography has unearthed the importance of both low muscle mass (sarcopenia) and low muscle attenuation as important prognostic indications of unfavourable outcomes including poorer tolerance to chemotherapy; significant deterioration in performance status and quality of life (QoL), poorer post-operative outcomes and shortened survival. While often hidden by excess fat and high BMI, muscle abnormalities are highly prevalent in patients with cancer (ranging from 10 to 90%). Early screening to identify individuals with sarcopenia and decreased muscle quality would allow for earlier multimodal interventions to attenuate adverse body compositional changes. Multimodal therapies (combining nutritional counselling, exercise and anti-inflammatory drugs) are currently the focus of randomised trials to examine if this approach can provide a sufficient stimulus to prevent or slow the cascade of tissue wasting and if this then impacts on outcomes in a positive manner. This review will focus on the aetiology of musculoskeletal degradation in cancer; the impact of sarcopenia on chemotherapy tolerance, post-operative complications, QoL and survival; and outline current strategies for attenuation of muscle loss in clinical practice.

The Etiology and Impact of Muscle Wasting in Metastatic Cancer

Metastasis arises when cancer cells disseminate from their site of origin and invade distant organs. While cancer cells rarely colonize muscle, they often induce a debilitating muscle-wasting condition known as cachexia that compromises feeding, breathing, and cardiac function in metastatic cancer patients. In fact, nearly 80% of metastatic cancer patients experience a spectrum of muscle-wasting states, which deteriorates the quality of life and overall survival of cancer patients. Muscle wasting in cancer results from increased muscle catabolism induced by circulating tumor factors and a systemic metabolic dysfunction. In addition, muscle loss can be exacerbated by the exposure to antineoplastic therapies and the process of aging. With no approved therapies to alleviate cachexia, muscle health, therefore, becomes a key determinant of prognosis, treatment response, and survival in metastatic cancer patients. This review will discuss the current understanding of cancer-associated cachexia and highlight promising therapeutic strategies to treat muscle wasting in the context of metastatic cancers.

Modulation of the tumor microenvironment by natural agents: implications for cancer prevention and therapy

The development of cancer is not just the growth and proliferation of a single transformed cell, but its surrounding environment also coevolves with it. Indeed, successful cancer progression depends on the ability of the tumor cells to develop a supportive tumor microenvironment consisting of various types of stromal cells. The interactions between the tumor and stromal cells are bidirectional and mediated through a variety of growth factors, cytokines, metabolites, and other biomolecules secreted by these cells. Tumor-stromal crosstalk creates optimal conditions for the tumor growth, metastasis, evasion of immune surveillance, and therapy resistance, and its targeting is being explored for clinical management of cancer. Natural agents from plants and marine life have been at the forefront of traditional medicine. Numerous epidemiological studies have reported the health benefits imparted on the consumption of certain fruits, vegetables, and their derived products. Indeed, a significant majority of anti-cancer drugs in clinical use are either naturally occurring compounds or their derivatives. In this review, we describe fundamental cellular and non-cellular components of the tumor microenvironment and discuss the significance of natural compounds in their targeting. Existing literature provides hope that novel prevention and therapeutic approaches will emerge from ongoing scientific efforts leading to the reduced tumor burden and improve clinical outcomes in cancer patients.

Skeletal muscle mass as a prognostic indicator of outcomes in ovarian cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Muscle mass plays a key role in predicting clinical outcomes in cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate whether computed tomography (CT) scan indexes of muscle mass quantity and quality could be used as prognostic factors in ovarian cancer.

METHODS

Three electronic bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were used to conduct a systematic literature search from inception to January 2020. The primary outcome was overall survival. Pooled analyses of hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were performed with Review Manager 5.3. Heterogeneity was assessed by measuring inconsistency (I² based on the χ² test). Secondary outcomes included progression free survival, disease free survival, postoperative complications, and chemotoxicity. Study quality and quality of evidence were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 15 studies were included in the systematic review, of which six studies (1226 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. Summary unadjusted HRs (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.46, p=0.47) and adjusted HRs (HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.43, p=0.49) did not show a significant association between low skeletal muscle index and overall survival (p>0.05) in ovarian cancer. Instead, although the quality of evidence was low, pooled data of three studies, comprising 679 patients, showed a significant association between low skeletal muscle radiodensity and poor overall survival (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.07, p<0.0001). Moreover, the heterogeneity between studies precluded the possibility of performing a meta-analysis and reaching conclusions for progression free survival, disease free survival, surgical complications, and chemotoxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

This work suggested that the measurement of skeletal muscle radiodensity by routine CT scan at diagnosis, with standardization of diagnostic criteria, could be a reliable tool to select at risk patients and to individualize effective nutritional strategies. However, prospective homogeneous studies with a larger number of patients are required to confirm these results.

Sarcopenia and ovarian cancer survival: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function that occurs with advancing age and certain diseases. It is thought to have a negative impact on survival in cancer patients. Routine computed tomography imaging is often used to quantify skeletal muscle in cancer patients. Sarcopenia is defined by a low skeletal muscle index (SMI). Skeletal muscle radiation attenuation (SMRA) is used to define muscle quality. The primary aim of this meta-analysis was to study the association between sarcopenia or SMRA and overall survival (OS) or complications in patients with ovarian cancer.

METHODS

Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and PEDro databases were searched from inception to 15 February 2019. Studies evaluating the prognostic effect of SMI and SMRA on ovarian cancer survival or surgical complications were included. Risk of bias and study quality were evaluated with the Quality in Prognosis Studies Instrument (QUIPS) according to the modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework.

RESULTS

The search strategy yielded 4262 hits in all four databases combined. Ten and eight studies were included for qualitative and quantitative analysis, respectively. Meta-analysis revealed a significant association between the SMI and OS [0.007; hazard ratio (HR): 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.20]. SMRA was also significantly associated with OS (P < 0.001; HR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.08-1.20). Association between the SMI and surgical complications had borderline statistical significance (0.05; HR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.00-1.52). The risk of bias assessed with QUIPS was high in all studies. The quality of the evidence was very low.

CONCLUSIONS

Whereas our meta-analysis indicated that a low SMI and low SMRA are associated with survival in ovarian cancer patients, the low quality of the source data precludes drawing definitive conclusions.

Low lean mass and chemotherapy toxicity risk in the elderly: the Fraction study protocol

Background

Half of cancer cases occur in patients aged 70 and above. Majority of older patients are eligible for chemotherapy but evidence for treating this population is sparse and severe toxicities affect more than half of them. Determining prognostic biomarkers able to predict poor chemotherapy tolerance remains one of the major issues in geriatric oncology. Ageing is associated with body composition changes (increase of fat mass and loss of lean mass) independently of weight-loss. Previous studies suggest that body composition parameters (particularly muscle mass) may predict poor chemotherapy tolerance. However, studies specifically including older adults on this subject remain sparse and the majority of them study body composition based on computed tomography (CT) scanner (axial L3 section) muscle mass estimation. This method is to date not validated in elderly cancer patients.

Methods

This trial (Fraction) will evaluate the discriminative ability of appendicular lean mass measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to predict severe toxicity incidence in older cancer-patients treated with first-line chemotherapy. DXA is considered the gold standard in body composition assessment in older adults.

Patient’s aged ≥70 diagnosed with solid neoplasms or lymphomas at a locally advanced or metastatic stage treated for first-line chemotherapy were recruited. Patients completed a pre-chemotherapy assessment that recorded socio-demographics, tumor/treatment variables, laboratory test results, geriatric assessment variables (function, comorbidity, cognition, social support and nutritional status), oncological risk scores and body composition with DXA. Appendicular lean mass was standardized using evidence based international criteria. Participants underwent short follow-up geriatric assessments within the first 3 months, 6 months and a year after inclusion. Grade 3 to 5 chemotherapy-related toxicities, as defined by the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) were assessed at each chemotherapy cycle.

Discussion

The finding that body composition is associated with poor tolerance of chemotherapy could lead to consider these parameters as well as improve current decision-making algorithms when treating older adults.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02806154 registered on October 2016.

Effects of weight loss and sarcopenia on response to chemotherapy, quality of life, and survival

It has frequently been shown that patients with cancer are one of the largest hospital patient groups with a prevalence for malnutrition. Weight loss is a frequent manifestation of malnutrition in patients with cancer. Several large-scale studies over the past 35 y have reported that involuntary weight loss affects 50% to 80% of these patients with the degree of weight loss dependent on tumor site and type and stage of disease. The aim of this review was to determine the consequences of malnutrition, weight loss, and muscle wasting in relation to chemotherapy tolerance, postoperative complications, quality of life, and survival in patients with cancer. The prognostic impact of weight loss on overall survival has long been recognised with recent data suggesting losses as little as 2.4% predicts survival independent of disease, site, stage or performance score. Recently the use of gold-standard methods of body composition assessment, including computed tomography, have led to an increased understanding of the importance of muscle abnormalities, such as low muscle mass (sarcopenia), and more recently low muscle attenuation, as important prognostic indicators of unfavourable outcomes in patients with cancer. Muscle abnormalities are highly prevalent (ranging from 10-90%, depending on cancer site and the diagnostic criteria used). Both low muscle mass and low muscle attenuation have been associated with poorer tolerance to chemotherapy; increased risk of postoperative complications; significant deterioration in a patients' performance status, and poorer psychological well-being, overall quality of life, and survival.

A window beneath the skin: how computed tomography assessment of body composition can assist in the identification of hidden wasting conditions in oncology that profoundly impact outcomes

Advancements in image-based technologies and body composition research over the past decade has led to increased understanding of the importance of muscle abnormalities, such as low muscle mass (sarcopenia), and more recently low muscle attenuation (MA), as important prognostic indicators of unfavourable outcomes in patients with cancer. Muscle abnormalities can be highly prevalent in patients with cancer (ranging between 10 and 90 %), depending on the cohort under investigation and diagnostic criteria used. Importantly, both low muscle mass and low MA have been associated with poorer tolerance to chemotherapy, increased risk of post-operative infectious and non-infectious complications, increased length of hospital stay and poorer survival in patients with cancer. Studies have shown that systemic antineoplastic treatment can exacerbate losses in muscle mass and MA, with reported loss of skeletal muscle between 3 and 5 % per 100 d, which are increased exponentially with progressive disease and proximity to death. At present, no effective medical intervention to improve muscle mass and MA exists. Most research to date has focused on treating muscle depletion as part of the cachexia syndrome using nutritional, exercise and pharmacological interventions; however, these single-agent therapies have not provided promising results. Rehabilitation care to modify body composition, either increasing muscle mass and/or MA should be conducted, and its respective impact on oncology outcomes explored. Although the optimal timing and treatment strategy for preventing or delaying the development of muscle abnormalities are yet to be determined, multimodal interventions initiated early in the disease trajectory appear to hold the most promise.

Body composition and sarcopenia: The next-generation of personalized oncology and pharmacology?

Body composition has gained increasing attention in oncology in recent years due to fact that sarcopenia has been revealed to be a strong prognostic indicator for survival across multiple stages and cancer types and a predictive factor for toxicity and surgery complications. Accumulating evidence over the last decade has unraveled the "pharmacology" of sarcopenia. Lean body mass may be more relevant to define drug dosing than the "classical" body surface area or flat-fixed dosing in patients with cancer. Since sarcopenia has a major impact on patient survival and quality of life, therapeutic interventions aiming at reducing muscle loss have been developed and are being prospectively evaluated in randomized controlled trials. It is now acknowledged that this supportive care dimension of oncological management is essential to ensure the success of any anticancer treatment. The field of sarcopenia and body composition in cancer is developing quickly, with (i) the newly identified concept of sarcopenic obesity defined as a specific pathophysiological entity, (ii) unsolved issues regarding the best evaluation modalities and cut-off for definition of sarcopenia on imaging, (iii) first results from clinical trials evaluating physical activity, and (iv) emerging body-composition-tailored drug administration schemes. In this context, we propose a comprehensive review providing a panoramic approach of the clinical, pharmacological and therapeutic implications of sarcopenia and body composition in oncology.

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.

Does the Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibitor Veliparib Merit Further Study for Cancer-Associated Weight Loss? Observations and Conclusions from Sixty Prospectively Treated Patients

BACKGROUND

More than 80% of patients with advanced cancer develop weight loss. Because preclinical data suggest poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors can treat this weight loss, this study was undertaken to explore the PARP inhibitor veliparib for this indication.

OBJECTIVE

The current study was undertaken to analyze prospectively gathered data on weight in cancer patients on PARP inhibitors.

DESIGN/SETTING

The current study relied on a previously published, prospectively conducted phase 1 single institution trial that combined veliparib and topotecan (NCT01012817) as antineoplastic therapy for advanced cancer patients. Serial weight data and, when available and clinically relevant, computerized tomography scans were also examined.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary endpoint was 10% or greater weight gain from trial enrollment.

RESULTS

Nearly all 60 patients lost weight over time. Only one patient manifested a 10% or greater gain in weight. However, review of computerized tomography L3 images showed this weight gain was a manifestation of ascites. Four other patients gained 5% of their baseline weight. However, findings in two patients with available radiographs showed no evidence of muscle augmentation.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of the PARP inhibitor veliparib to chemotherapy does not appear to result in notable weight gain or in weight maintenance in patients with advanced cancer. Interventions other than PARP inhibitors should be considered for the palliation/treatment of cancer-associated weight loss.

Body Mass Index as a Risk Factor for Toxicities in Patients with Advanced Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Treated with Trabectedin

OBJECTIVES

Low body mass index (BMI) and/or low lean body mass have been shown to be risk factors for chemotherapy-related toxicities in a number of different cancers. However, no data are available regarding the role of BMI as a risk factor for developing toxicities related to the novel anticancer agent, trabectedin, in patients with soft-tissue sarcoma (STS). We evaluated the role of BMI as a risk factor for trabectedin-related toxicity in patients with STS.

METHODS

Data from 51 patients with metastatic/advanced STS treated with trabectedin after progression on ≥1 anthracycline ± ifosfamide regimen were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients (35.3%) were underweight, and the remainder were of normal bodyweight (45.1%) or overweight (19.6%). Neutropenia of any grade (77.8 vs. 33.3%) and grade 3-4 neutropenia (50.0 vs. 18.2%) occurred more frequently in the underweight versus normal/overweight patients (p = 0.025). Febrile neutropenia also occurred more frequently in underweight patients. Differences remained statistically significant after adjusting for other predictors of toxicity. There were no significant differences in other hematological and nonhematological toxicities between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The data suggest for the first time that BMI should be considered a risk factor for neutropenia in patients with STS treated with trabectedin.

Driver pattern identification over the gene co-expression of drug response in ovarian cancer by integrating high throughput genomics data

Multiple types of high throughput genomics data create a potential opportunity to identify driver patterns in ovarian cancer, which will acquire some novel and clinical biomarkers for appropriate diagnosis and treatment to cancer patients. To identify candidate driver genes and the corresponding driving patterns for resistant and sensitive tumors from the heterogeneous data, we combined gene co-expression modules with mutation modulators and proposed the method to identify driver patterns. Firstly, co-expression network analysis is applied to explore gene modules for gene expression profiles through weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Secondly, mutation matrix is generated by integrating the CNV data and somatic mutation data, and a mutation network is constructed from the mutation matrix. Thirdly, candidate modulators are selected from significant genes by clustering vertexs of the mutation network. Finally, a regression tree model is utilized for module network learning, in which the obtained gene modules and candidate modulators are trained for the driving pattern identification and modulators regulatory exploration. Many identified candidate modulators are known to be involved in biological meaningful processes associated with ovarian cancer, such as CCL11, CCL16, CCL18, CCL23, CCL8, CCL5, APOB, BRCA1, SLC18A1, FGF22, GADD45B, GNA15, GNA11, and so on.

Driver pattern identification over the gene co-expression of drug response in ovarian cancer by integrating high throughput genomics data

Multiple types of high throughput genomics data create a potential opportunity to identify driver patterns in ovarian cancer, which will acquire some novel and clinical biomarkers for appropriate diagnosis and treatment to cancer patients. To identify candidate driver genes and the corresponding driving patterns for resistant and sensitive tumors from the heterogeneous data, we combined gene co-expression modules with mutation modulators and proposed the method to identify driver patterns. Firstly, co-expression network analysis is applied to explore gene modules for gene expression profiles through weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Secondly, mutation matrix is generated by integrating the CNV data and somatic mutation data, and a mutation network is constructed from the mutation matrix. Thirdly, candidate modulators are selected from significant genes by clustering vertexs of the mutation network. Finally, a regression tree model is utilized for module network learning, in which the obtained gene modules and candidate modulators are trained for the driving pattern identification and modulators regulatory exploration. Many identified candidate modulators are known to be involved in biological meaningful processes associated with ovarian cancer, such as CCL11, CCL16, CCL18, CCL23, CCL8, CCL5, APOB, BRCA1, SLC18A1, FGF22, GADD45B, GNA15, GNA11, and so on.

Driver pattern identification over the gene co-expression of drug response in ovarian cancer by integrating high throughput genomics data

Multiple types of high throughput genomics data create a potential opportunity to identify driver patterns in ovarian cancer, which will acquire some novel and clinical biomarkers for appropriate diagnosis and treatment to cancer patients. To identify candidate driver genes and the corresponding driving patterns for resistant and sensitive tumors from the heterogeneous data, we combined gene co-expression modules with mutation modulators and proposed the method to identify driver patterns. Firstly, co-expression network analysis is applied to explore gene modules for gene expression profiles through weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Secondly, mutation matrix is generated by integrating the CNV data and somatic mutation data, and a mutation network is constructed from the mutation matrix. Thirdly, candidate modulators are selected from significant genes by clustering vertexs of the mutation network. Finally, a regression tree model is utilized for module network learning, in which the obtained gene modules and candidate modulators are trained for the driving pattern identification and modulators regulatory exploration. Many identified candidate modulators are known to be involved in biological meaningful processes associated with ovarian cancer, such as CCL11, CCL16, CCL18, CCL23, CCL8, CCL5, APOB, BRCA1, SLC18A1, FGF22, GADD45B, GNA15, GNA11, and so on.

A review of body composition and pharmacokinetics in oncology

INTRODUCTION

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. Areas covered: A concise review of body composition measurement with CT cross-sectional imaging and its relationship to drug pharmacokinetics and toxicities. A comprehensive review of the predictive value of low lean mass (sarcopenia) in dose-limiting toxicities is also included. Expert commentary: Drug dosing in medical oncology faces many challenges, including heterogeneous body composition profiles. The emerging role of sarcopenia in predicting lean mass may provide the tool needed to more accurately dose patients and prevent dose-limiting toxicities.

Impact of Body Weight and Body Composition on Ovarian Cancer Prognosis

Measures of body weight and anthropometrics such as body mass index (BMI) are commonly used to assess nutritional status in clinical conditions including cancer. Extensive research has evaluated associations between body weight and prognosis in ovarian cancer patients, yet little is known about the potential impact of body composition (fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM)) in these patients. Thus, the purpose of this publication was to review the literature (using PubMed and EMBASE) evaluating the impact of body weight and particularly body composition on surgical complications, morbidity, chemotherapy dosing and toxicity (as predictors of prognosis), and survival in ovarian cancer patients. Body weight is rarely associated with intra-operative complications, but obesity predicts higher rates of venous thromboembolism and wound complications post-operatively in ovarian cancer patients. Low levels of FM and FFM are superior predictors of length of hospital stay compared to measures of body weight alone, but the role of body composition on other surgical morbidities is unknown. Obesity complicates chemotherapy dosing due to altered pharmacokinetics, imprecise dosing strategies, and wide variability in FM and FFM. Measurement of body composition has the potential to reduce toxicity if the results are incorporated into chemotherapy dosing calculations. Some findings suggest that excess body weight adversely affects survival, while others find no such association. Limited studies indicate that FM is a better predictor of survival than body weight in ovarian cancer patients, but the direction of this relationship has not been determined. In conclusion, body composition as an indicator of nutritional status is a better prognostic tool than body weight or BMI alone in ovarian cancer patients.

Sarcopenia and cachexia in the era of obesity: clinical and nutritional impact

Our understanding of body composition (BC) variability in contemporary populations has significantly increased with the use of imaging techniques. Abnormal BC such as sarcopenia (low muscle mass) and obesity (excess adipose tissue) are predictors of poorer prognosis in a variety of conditions or clinical situations. As a catabolic illness, a defining feature of cancer is muscle loss. Although the conceptual model of wasting in cancer is typically conceived as involuntary weight loss leading to low body weight, recent studies have shown that both sarcopenia and cachexia can be present with obesity. The combination of low muscle and high adipose tissue (sarcopenic obesity) is an emerging abnormal BC phenotype prevalent across the body weight, and hence BMI spectra. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in cancer are in most instances occult conditions, which have been independently associated with higher incidence of chemotherapy toxicity, shorter time to tumour progression, poorer outcomes of surgery, physical impairment and shorter survival. Although the mechanisms are yet to be fully understood, the associations with poorer clinical outcomes emphasise the value of nutritional assessment as well as the need to develop appropriate interventions to countermeasure abnormal BC. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity create diverse nutritional requirements, highlighting the compelling need for a more comprehensive and differentiated understanding of energy and protein requirements in this heterogeneous population.

Body Composition and Anti-Neoplastic Treatment in Adult and Older Subjects - A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

The estimation of the risk of poor tolerance and overdose of antineoplastic agents protocols represents a major challenge in oncology, particularly in older patients. We hypothesize that age-related modifications of body composition (i.e. increased fat mass and decreased lean mass) may significantly affect tolerance to chemotherapy.

METHOD

We conducted a systematic review for the last 25 years (between 1990 and 2015), using US National library of Medicine Medline electronic bibliographic database and Embase database of cohorts or clinical trials exploring (i) the interactions of body composition (assessed by Dual X-ray Absorptiometry, Bioelectrical Impedance Analyses, or Computerized Tomography) with pharmacokinetics parameters, (ii) the tolerance to chemotherapy, and (iii) the consequences of chemotherapies or targeted therapies on body composition.

RESULTS

Our search identified 1504 articles. After a selection (using pre-established criteria) on titles and abstract, 24 original articles were selected with 3 domains of interest: impact of body composition on pharmacokinetics (7 articles), relationship between body composition and chemotoxicity (14 articles), and effect of anti-cancer chemotherapy on body composition (11 articles). The selected studies suggested that pharmacokinetic was influenced by lean mass, that lower lean mass could be correlated with toxicity, and that sarcopenic patients experienced more toxicities that non-sarcopenic patients. Regarding fat mass, results were less conclusive. No studies specifically explored the topic of body composition in older cancer patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Plausible pathophysiological pathways linking body composition, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics are sustained by the actual review. However, despite the growing number of older cancer patients, our review highlighted the lack of specific studies in the field of anti-neoplastic agents toxicity regarding body composition conducted in elderly.

Use of prediction equations to determine the accuracy of whole-body fat and fat-free mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass measurements from a single abdominal image using computed tomography in advanced cancer patients

Measurements of body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and single abdominal images from computed tomography (CT) in advanced cancer patients (ACP) have important diagnostic and prognostic value. The question arises as to whether CT scans can serve as surrogates for DXA in terms of whole-body fat-free mass (FFM), whole-body fat mass (FM), and appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) mass. Predictive equations to estimate body composition for ACP from CT images have been proposed (Mourtzakis et al. 2008; Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metabol. 33(5): 997-1006); however, these equations have yet to be validated in an independent cohort of ACP. Thus, this study evaluated the accuracy of these equations in estimating FFM, FM, and ASM mass using CT images at the level of the third lumbar vertebrae and compared these values with DXA measurements. FFM, FM, and ASM mass were estimated from the prediction equations proposed by Mourtzakis and colleagues (2008) using single abdominal CT images from 43 ACP and were compared with whole-body DXA scans using Spearman correlations and Bland-Altman analyses. Despite a moderate to high correlation between the actual (DXA) and predicted (CT) values for FM (rho = 0.93; p ≤ 0.001), FFM (rho = 0.78; p ≤ 0.001), and ASM mass (rho = 0.70; p ≤ 0.001), Bland-Altman analyses revealed large range-of-agreement differences between the 2 methods (29.39 kg for FFM, 15.47 kg for FM, and 3.99 kg for ASM mass). Based on the magnitude of these differences, we concluded that prediction equations using single abdominal CT images have poor accuracy, cannot be considered as surrogates for DXA, and may have limited clinical utility.

Update on protein intake: importance of milk proteins for health status of the elderly

Loss of lean body mass that occurs with aging is the primary endpoint with which sarcopenia is defined. Furthermore, loss of muscle mass is central to the development of many adverse health issues in the elderly. Consequently, the response of lean body mass to nutritional interventions, particularly to dietary protein, has been a commonly measured endpoint. However, increased protein intake has been associated with improved markers for cardiovascular health, improved bone health, management of weight and metabolic diseases, and reduced all-cause mortality. Strength, rather than lean body mass, may be a more accurate indicator of health, especially in the elderly. The recommended dietary allowance for protein has been set at 0.8 g/kg/day. Because the average protein intake in the United States is approximately 1.2 g/kg/day, it appears that the average protein intake is above the recommended dietary allowance but below the low end of the acceptable macronutrient distribution range recommended by expert committees of the National Academy of Sciences and below the dietary intake levels suggested by the US Department of Agriculture in the Dietary Guidelines.

High anabolic potential of essential amino acid mixtures in advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Conventional nutritional supplements are not or only partly successful in inducing protein accretion in advanced cancer, suggesting an attenuated anabolic response. To prevent muscle wasting and its deleterious consequences, generating an anabolic response is crucial. Dietary essential amino acids (EAA) have anabolic properties in other wasting diseases; however, data in advanced cancer are lacking.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In 13 patients with advanced nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (stage III and IV) and 11 healthy age-matched subjects, we measured protein synthesis and breakdown of the whole body, and net protein anabolism (difference between protein synthesis and breakdown) after intake of 14 g of free EAA with high leucine levels (EAA/leucine) versus a balanced amino acid mixture containing both EAA and non-EAA as present in whey protein, according to a randomized, double-blind, crossover design.

RESULTS

Protein synthesis and net protein anabolism were higher after intake of the EAA/leucine than the balanced amino acid mixture (P < 0.001), independent of presence of cancer. A highly significant linear relationship between net protein anabolism and the amount of EAA available in the systemic circulation (R(2): 0.85, P < 0.001) was found in both groups. The presence of muscle or recent weight loss, systemic inflammatory response, or length of survival did not influence this relationship. High leucine levels in the EAA/leucine mixture was of no anabolic benefit.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no anabolic resistance or attenuated anabolic potential to intake of 14 g of EAA/leucine or balanced amino acid mixture in advanced (mainly stage III) NSCLC. The high anabolic potential of dietary EAA in cancer patients is independent of their nutritional status, systemic inflammatory response or disease trajectory, suggesting a key role of EAA in new nutritional approaches to prevent muscle loss, thereby improving outcome of patients with advanced cancer.

CLINICALTRAILSGOV

NCT01172314.

Clinical and economic outcomes of nutrition interventions across the continuum of care

Optimal nutrition across the continuum of care plays a key role in the short- and long-term clinical and economic outcomes of patients. Worldwide, an estimated one-quarter to one-half of patients admitted to hospitals each year are malnourished. Malnutrition can increase healthcare costs by delaying patient recovery and rehabilitation and increasing the risk of medical complications. Nutrition interventions have the potential to provide cost-effective preventive care and treatment measures. However, limited data exist on the economics and impact evaluations of these interventions. In this report, nutrition and health system researchers, clinicians, economists, and policymakers discuss emerging global research on nutrition health economics, the role of nutrition interventions across the continuum of care, and how nutrition can affect healthcare costs in the context of hospital malnutrition.

Lean tissue imaging: a new era for nutritional assessment and intervention

Body composition refers to the amount of fat and lean tissues in our body; it is a science that looks beyond a unit of body weight, accounting for the proportion of different tissues and its relationship to health. Although body weight and body mass index are well-known indexes of health status, most researchers agree that they are rather inaccurate measures, especially for elderly individuals and those patients with specific clinical conditions. The emerging use of imaging techniques such as dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound imaging in the clinical setting have highlighted the importance of lean soft tissue (LST) as an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality. It is clear from emerging studies that body composition health will be vital in treatment decisions, prognostic outcomes, and quality of life in several nonclinical and clinical states. This review explores the methodologies and the emerging value of imaging techniques in the assessment of body composition, focusing on the value of LST to predict nutrition status.