Clinical Impact and Risk Factors for Skeletal Muscle Loss After Complete Resection of Early Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Association of muscle mass and radiodensity assessed by chest CT with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis patients

PURPOSE

This study investigates the prognostic value of skeletal muscle index (SMI) and skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD) measured by chest CT in relation to all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality among hemodialysis (HD) patients.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted from January 2015 to December 2021 involving HD patients at a dialysis center. Chest CT scans at the twelfth thoracic vertebra level (T12) were analyzed to assess SMI and SMD. Sex-specific cut-off values for two metrics were determined using maximally selected rank statistics. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated to evaluate the associations of SMI and SMD with mortality. The discrimination of prognostic models was also compared.

RESULTS

The study included 603 patients with a median age of 58 years. Of these, 187 (31.0%) patients with SMI < 30.00 cm2/m2 (male) or < 25.04 cm2/m2 (female) and 192 (31.8%) patients with SMD < 32.25 HU (male) or < 30.64 HU (female) were categorized as lower SMI and SMD, respectively. Over a median follow-up of 3.8 years, 144 deaths occurred. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that lower SMI and SMD were independently associated with all-cause mortality (SMI: HR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.03-2.10; SMD: HR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.20-2.54) and CVD mortality (SMI: HR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.03-2.94; SMD: HR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.02-2.95). Adding SMI and SMD to the established risk model improved the C-index from 0.82 to 0.87 (P < 0.001). Decision curve analysis showed that the prognostic model incorporating both SMI and SMD offered the highest net benefit for predicting all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Muscle metrics derived from CT scans at T12 level provide valuable prognostic information which could enhance the role of chest CT in muscle assessment among HD patients.

Sarcopenia Identification Using Alternative Vertebral Landmarks in Individuals with Lung Cancer

Background

(1)Sarcopenia, or low skeletal mass index (SMI), contributes to higher lung cancer mortality. The SMI at third lumbar vertebrae (L3) is the reference standard for body composition analysis. However, there is a need to explore the validity of alternative landmarks in this population. We compared the agreement of sarcopenia identification at the first lumbar (L1) and second lumbar (L2) to L3 in non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and White (NHW) individuals with lung cancer.

Methods

(2)This retrospective, cross-sectional study included 214 NHB and NHW adults with lung cancer. CT scans were analyzed to calculate the SMI at L1, L2, and L3. T-tests, chi-square, Pearson's correlation, Cohen's kappa, sensitivity, and specificity analysis were used.

Results

(3)Subjects presented with a mean age of 68.4 ± 9.9 years and BMI of 26.3 ± 6.0 kg/m2. Sarcopenia prevalence varied from 19.6% at L1 to 39.7% at L3. Cohen's kappa coefficient was 0.46 for L1 and 0.64 for L2, indicating weak and moderate agreement for the identification of sarcopenia compared to L3.

Conclusions

(4)Sarcopenia prevalence varied greatly depending on the vertebral landmark used for assessment. Using L2 or L1 alone resulted in a 16.8% and 23.8% misclassification of sarcopenia in this cohort of individuals with lung cancer.

Long-term changes in psoas muscle mass after lobectomy and segmentectomy for early-stage lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Segmentectomy is considered a less invasive procedure than lobectomy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, little is known about the physiological mechanism underlying the lower invasiveness of segmentectomy. This study is aimed to compare the differences in the long-term changes in the psoas muscle mass after segmentectomy and lobectomy in patients with NSCLC.

METHODS

Overall 315 recurrence-free patients who underwent segmentectomy (n = 93) or lobectomy (n = 222) for clinical stage 0-I NSCLC between January 2016 and December 2018 and underwent computed tomography during the entire period of 6 months ≤ postoperative year (POY) 0.5 < 12 months, 12 months ≤ POY 1 < 24 months, 24 months ≤ POY 2 < 36 months, and 36 months ≤ POY 3 < 48 months were included. Bilateral psoas muscle area (PMA) at the L3 level was measured using each cross-sectional computed tomography scan. Differences between the segmentectomy and lobectomy groups in the mean change of postoperative PMA from the preoperative period were analysed using Student's t-test and mixed analysis of variance. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify the risk factors for PMA loss on POY 3 using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The lobectomy group had a significantly larger PMA change than the segmentectomy group during each postoperative period (P < 0.001). Mixed analysis of variance revealed that the mean PMA change was significantly smaller in the segmentectomy group than in the lobectomy group during the observation period (P < 0.001). The mean change in the PMA was significantly larger from POY1 (-2.5%) to POY2 (-3.9%) and POY3 (-4.7%) in the lobectomy group (P = 0.003 and P < 0.001). However, PMA remained unchanged during the postoperative observation period in the segmentectomy group. In the multivariable analysis, the risk factors for PMA change ≤-3.3% (cut-off: mean change of PMA) at POY3 included lobectomy [odds ratio (OR), 3.32; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.90-5.82; P < 0.001], male sex (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.02-3.62; P = 0.044) and open thoracotomy (OR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.11-3.05; P = 0.017). After propensity score matching, the mean change in PMA was smaller in the segmentectomy group (n = 75) than in the lobectomy group (n = 75) during the postoperative observation period (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Psoas muscle mass was better maintained during the postoperative period by segmentectomy than by lobectomy. Psoas muscle mass reduction progressed over a long postoperative period after lobectomy. Segmentectomy via complete video-assisted thoracic surgery is associated with a lower likelihood of sarcopenia progression.

The use of the second thoracic vertebral landmark for skeletal muscle assessment and computed tomography-defined sarcopenia evaluation in patients with head and neck cancer

BACKGROUND

The cross-sectional area (CSA) of skeletal muscle (SM) at the third lumbar vertebra (L3) is used to determine computed tomography (CT)-defined sarcopenia. We investigated the feasibility of SM assessment at the second thoracic vertebra (T2) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

METHODS

Diagnostic PET-CT scans were used to develop a prediction model for L3-CSA using T2-CSA. Effectiveness of the model and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were investigated.

RESULTS

Scans of 111 patients (85% male) were evaluated. The predictive formula: L3-CSA (cm² ) = 174.15 + [0.212 × T2-CSA (cm² )] - [40.032 × sex] - [0.928 × age (years)] + [0.285 × weight (kg)] had good correlation r = 0.796, ICC = 0.882 (p < 0.001). SM index (SMI) mean difference (bias) was -3.6% (SD 10.2, 95% CI -8.7% to 1.3%). Sensitivity (82.8%), specificity (78.2%), with moderate agreement (ƙ = 0.540, p < 0.001). Worse 5-year CSS with lower quartile T2-SMI (51%, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

SM at T2 can be effectively used for CT-defined sarcopenia evaluation in HNC.

Thoracic sarcopenia predicts clinical outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: A 6-year cohort study

BACKGROUND

The relationship between thoracic sarcopenia and clinical outcomes in patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is unclear. This study aims to evaluate whether thoracic sarcopenia has a satisfactory prognostic effect on adverse outcomes after CABG.

METHODS

From December 2015 to May 2021, 338 patients who underwent isolated CABG at our institution were recruited in this study. Skeletal muscle area at T12 level acquired by chest computed tomography (CT) was normalized to assess thoracic sarcopenia. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the risk factors of postoperative complications and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

The prevalence of thoracic sarcopenia in patients underwent CABG was 13.02%. The incidence of total major complication was significantly higher in thoracic sarcopenia group (81.8% vs 61.9%, p = 0.010). Thoracic sarcopenic patients also had longer postoperative hospital stays (p = 0.047), intensive care unit (ICU) stays (p = 0.001), higher costs (p = 0.001) and readmission rates within 30 days of discharge (18.2% vs 4.4%, p = 0.001). Patients without thoracic sarcopenia showed significantly higher OS at the 2-year follow-up period (93.9% vs 72.7%, p<0.001). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that thoracic sarcopenia was significantly and independently associated with postoperative complications and long-term OS after CABG.

CONCLUSION

Thoracic sarcopenia is an effective clinical predictor of adverse postoperative complications and long-term OS in patients underwent CABG. Thoracic sarcopenia based on chest CT should be included in preoperative risk assessment of CABG.

Multicentre, randomised, open-label, parallel-group, clinical phase II study to evaluate immunonutrition in improving efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, undergoing systematic nutritional counseling

BACKGROUND

Nutritional support, including nutritional counseling and oral nutritional supplements (ONS), has been recommended as a first-line strategy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Evidence on the efficacy of immunonutrition during immunotherapy in these patients is positive, but still limited some secondary endpoints, such as treatment toxicity and tolerance. We hypothesize that early systematic provision of ONS with a high-protein-high calorie mixture containing immunonutrients (Impact®) in addition to nutritional counseling, compared to nutritional counseling alone, is beneficial to patients with NSCLC receiving immunotherapy with or without chemotherapy. We designed the present study to evaluate the efficacy of early systematic provision of ONS enriched with immunonutrients compared to nutritional counseling alone, in patients with NSCLC undergoing immunotherapy. Study endpoints were: treatment response (primary endpoint: progression-free survival), treatment tolerance and toxicity, body weight, body composition, protein-calorie intake, quality of life, fatigue, muscle strength and immunological profile.

METHODS

This is a pragmatic, multicentre, randomized (1:1), parallel-group, open label, controlled, pilot clinical trial (N = 180).

DISCUSSION

The improvement of efficacy of nutritional support in oncology still deserves many efforts. Immunonutrition represents a promising approach also in patients with NSCLC, but evidence on its efficacy on clinical outcomes during immunotherapy is still inconclusive. The present pilot study, which guarantees early high-quality nutritional care (assessment and treatment) to all patients in agreement with current guidelines and recommendations, could represent one of the first proofs of efficacy of early oral immunonutrition in patients with cancer undergoing immunotherapy. Further large randomized trials addressing the improvement of supportive care could be hypothesized, accordingly.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05384873.

Current Insights in Nutrition Assessment and Intervention for Malnutrition or Muscle Loss in People with Lung Cancer: A Narrative Review

Up to 70% of people with lung cancer may be affected by cancer-related malnutrition or muscle loss, depending on treatment modality and disease stage. This narrative review explores recent studies on malnutrition and muscle loss as well as nutritional and multimodal interventions to treat these conditions in the context of the changing treatment landscape in lung cancer. Various types of interventions, including individualized counseling, protein and other specific nutrient supplementation, as well as multimodal interventions to treat malnutrition and muscle loss, have been investigated. Overall, individualized dietary counseling, increasing protein intake, and supplementation with omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids appear to be beneficial for some, albeit varying, patient outcomes. Multimodal interventions, generally including a nutrition and exercise component, show promising results; however, the impact on patient outcomes is mixed. A key finding of this review is a lack of large, randomized trials to guide nutrition intervention specifically in people with lung cancer. Despite the high prevalence of malnutrition and muscle loss in people with lung cancer and the known adverse outcomes, current evidence for nutrition intervention is limited. A targeted effort is required to improve the quality of evidence for nutrition intervention in this population to provide support for clinicians to deliver effective nutrition care.

CT-Derived Body Composition Values and Complications After Pneumonectomy in Lung Cancer Patients: Time for a Sex-Related Analysis?

Purpose

This study aimed to assess if CT-derived body composition values and clinical characteristics are associated with the risk of postsurgical complications in men and women who underwent pneumonectomy for lung cancer.

Materials and Methods

Patients who underwent pneumonectomy between 2004 and 2008 were selected. The ethics committee approved this retrospective study with waiver of informed content. Main clinical data collected were sex, age, weight and height to calculate body mass index (BMI), albumin, C-reactive protein, smoking status, side, sarcopenia, presurgical treatments, reoperation, and complications within 30 days after pneumonectomy, classified as: lung complications, cardiac complications, other complications, and any complication. From an axial CT image at the level of L3, automatic segmentations were performed to calculate skeletal muscle area (SMA), skeletal muscle density, subcutaneous adipose tissue, and visceral adipose tissue. Skeletal muscle index was calculated as SMA/square height. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the risk of any complication, both on the total population and in a by sex subgroup analysis. All tests were two tailed and considered significant at 5% level.

Results

A total of 107 patients (84 men and 23 women) were included. Despite no significant differences in BMI, there were significant differences of body composition values in muscle and adipose tissue parameters between men and women, with women being significantly more sarcopenic than men (p = 0.002). Separate analyses for men and women showed that age and SMA were significantly associated with postoperative complications in men (p = 0.03 and 0.02, respectively).

Conclusions

Body composition measurements extracted from routine CT may help in predicting complications after pneumonectomy, with men and women being different in quantity and distribution of muscle and fat, and men significantly more prone to postpneumonectomy complications with the increase of age and the decrease of skeletal muscle area.

Prospective observational study of nutritional/immunologic indices as predictive biomarkers for the response to anti-PD-1 drugs in non-small cell lung cancer (ICI-PREDICT study)

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) have markedly improved the prognosis of many patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the relationship between the patient’s nutritional/immunologic status and the outcomes of ICI treatment remains unclear. In previous retrospective studies, we reported that the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score, skeletal muscle area, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were independent predictors of the response of NSCLC patients to anti-PD-1 drugs. The aim of this prospective multi-center study is to investigate the clinical impact of pre-treatment nutritional/immunologic indices and early post-treatment changes in the indices on treatment outcomes in advanced NSCLC. The main inclusion criteria are: (1) stage IV NSCLC, or stage III NSCLC not applicable for definitive chemoradiotherapy; (2) treatment with ICIs (monotherapy or combined with chemotherapy) as first-line therapy; and (3) available data on PD-L1 expression on tumor cells. A total of 300 patients will be enrolled prospectively. Enrollment will begin in 2020 and the final analyses will be completed by 2025.

Factors That Improve Chest Computed Tomography-Defined Sarcopenia Prognosis in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Whether muscle strength and physical performance should be components of sarcopenia remains controversial. This study evaluated the skeletal muscle index derived from computed tomography images at the 12th thoracic vertebra level (T12 SMI), handgrip strength, performance status, and their combination for predicting overall survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODS

Chest computed tomography, handgrip strength measurement, and bioelectrical impedance analysis were performed. Sarcopenia was defined based on the T12 SMI alone or the T12 SMI, handgrip, and/or physical performance (i.e. Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia [AWGS]-defined sarcopenia or severe sarcopenia).

RESULTS

Overall, 639 participants were included; 488 (76.4%) died. At baseline, 160 (25.0%), 141 (22.1%), and 42 (6.6%) patients had computed tomography-defined sarcopenia, AWGS-defined sarcopenia, and AWGS-defined severe sarcopenia, respectively. Chest computed tomography-defined sarcopenia (hazard ratio [HR], 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65-2.43), AWGS-defined sarcopenia (HR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.59-2.49), and AWGS-defined severe sarcopenia (HR, 3.01; 95% CI, 2.21-4.09) were more strongly associated with poor prognosis than a performance status score ≥2 (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.10-1.73).

CONCLUSIONS

Adding handgrip strength and the performance status score to chest computed tomography-defined sarcopenia improved its prognostic ability. Oncological sarcopenia research should focus on muscle mass, strength, and function.

The oestrous cycle and skeletal muscle atrophy: Investigations in rodent models of muscle loss

NEW FINDINGS

What is the central question of this study? Is the oestrous cycle affected during disuse atrophies and, if so, how are oestrous cycle changes related to musculoskeletal outcomes? What is the main finding and its importance? Rodent oestrous cycles were altered during disuse atrophy, which was correlated with musculoskeletal outcomes. However, the oestrous cycle did not appear to be changed by Lewis lung carcinoma, which resulted in no differences in muscle size in comparison to healthy control animals. These findings suggest a relationship between the oestrous cycle and muscle size during atrophic pathologies.

ABSTRACT

Recent efforts have focused on improving our understanding of female muscle physiology during exposure to muscle atrophic stimuli. A key feature of female rodent physiology is the oestrous cycle. However, it is not known how such stimuli interact with the oestrous cycle to influence muscle health. In this study, we investigated the impact of muscle atrophic stimuli on the oestrous cycle and how these alterations are correlated with musculoskeletal outcomes. A series of experiments were performed in female rodents, including hindlimb unloading (HU), HU followed by 24 h of reloading, HU combined with dexamethasone treatment, and Lewis lung carcinoma. The oestrous cycle phase was assessed throughout each intervention and correlated with musculoskeletal outcomes. Seven or 14 days of HU increased the duration in dioestrus or metoestrus (D/M; low hormones) and was negatively correlated with gastrocnemius mass. Time spent in D/M was also negatively correlated with changes in grip strength and bone density after HU, and with muscle recovery 24 h after the cessation of HU. The addition of dexamethasone strengthened these relationships between time in D/M and reduced musculoskeletal outcomes. However, in animals with Lewis lung carcinoma, oestrous cyclicity did not differ from that of control animals, and time spent in D/M was not correlated with either gastrocnemius mass or tumour burden. In vitro experiments suggested that enhanced protein synthesis induced by estrogen might protect against muscle atrophy. In conclusion, muscle atrophic insults are correlated with changes in the oestrous cycle, which are associated with deterioration in musculoskeletal outcomes. The magnitude of oestrous cycle alterations depends on the atrophic stimuli.

Prognostic value of postoperative decrease in serum albumin on surgically resected early-stage non-small cell lung carcinoma: A multicenter retrospective study

Background

Preoperative nutritional status is an important host-related prognostic factor for non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC); however, the significance of postoperative changes in nutritional status remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the significance of postoperative decreases in serum albumin (ΔAlb) on the outcomes of early-stage NSCLC.

Methods

We analyzed 443 training cohort (TC) and 642 validation cohort (VC) patients with pStage IA NSCLC who underwent surgery and did not recur within 1 year. We measured preoperative serum albumin levels (preAlb) and postoperative levels 1 year after surgery (postAlb), and calculated ΔAlb as (preAlb − postAlb)/preAlb × 100%. A cutoff value of 11% for ΔAlb was defined on the basis of the receiver operating characteristic curve for the TC.

Results

Patients were divided into ΔAlb-Decreased and ΔAlb-Stable groups, including 100 (22.6%) and 343 (77.4%) in the TC, and 58 (9.0%) and 584 (90.1%) in the VC. ΔAlb-Decreased was associated with male sex (p = 0.0490), smoking (p = 0.0156), and non-adenocarcinoma (p<0.0001) in the TC, and pT1b (p = 0.0169) and non-adenocarcinoma (p = 0.0251) in the VC. Multivariable analysis identified ΔAlb as an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in both cohorts (VC: DFS, HR = 1.9, 95%CI: 1.10–3.15, p = 0.0197; OS, HR = 2.0, 95%CI: 1.13–3.45, p = 0.0173). Moreover, subgroup analysis demonstrated that the prognostic value of ΔAlb was consistent for age, sex, smoking history, surgical procedure, and histological type.

Conclusion

We demonstrated a negative impact of postoperative decrease of the serum albumin on the prognosis of patients with early-stage NSCLC. Postoperative changes in nutritional status might be important in NSCLC outcomes.

Erector spinae muscle radiographic density is associated with survival after lung transplantation

OBJECTIVE

The study objective was to verify whether low preoperative radiographic density of erector spinae muscles is associated with poor prognosis after lung transplantation.

METHODS

Preoperative chest computed tomography scans for patients who underwent deceased-donor lung transplantation between 2013 and 2019 at Kyoto University Hospital were retrospectively retrieved. The radiographic density of erector spinae muscles was quantitatively evaluated as the mean attenuation of erector spinae muscles, and low mean radiographic density of the erector spinae muscles was defined as a mean radiographic density of the erector spinae muscles value below the median value for all patients. Overall survival and chronic lung allograft dysfunction-free survival with high and low mean radiographic density of the erector spinae muscles were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and evaluated by the log-rank test, as well as by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses.

RESULTS

Of the 107 adult patients who underwent primary transplantation, 96 underwent at least 1 chest computed tomography scan within 24 hours before lung transplantation. The median mean radiographic density of the erector spinae muscles in these 96 patients was 49.2 Hounsfield units. A low mean radiographic density of the erector spinae muscles value was significantly associated with decreased overall survival (hazard ratio, 4.50; P = .030) and chronic lung allograft dysfunction-free survival (hazard ratio, 3.18; P = .028) in the multivariate analysis. Additionally, patients with preoperative steroid use and a low mean radiographic density of the erector spinae muscles value had a worse overall survival (P < .001) and chronic lung allograft dysfunction-free survival (P < .001) than patients with preoperative steroid use and a high mean radiographic density of the erector spinae muscles value and those without preoperative steroid use.

CONCLUSIONS

Low mean radiographic density of the erector spinae muscles was closely associated with a poor prognosis after lung transplantation. The prognosis was particularly poor in patients with preoperative steroid use and a low mean radiographic density of the erector spinae muscles. These results may be useful when considering the indications for lung transplantation or preoperative interventions. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

Impact and risk factors for skeletal muscle mass loss after hepatic resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Background and Aim

The aims of this study were to determine whether a postoperative decrease in skeletal muscle mass (SMM) after hepatic resection can predict long‐term outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and identify risk factors for SMM loss in patients who undergo hepatic resection.

Methods

This was a large retrospective study of 400 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC and pre‐ and postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans. SMM was measured at the third lumbar vertebrae, and the postoperative change in SMM compared with preoperative values was calculated as Δ SMM. The cutoff value for the post‐/preoperative ratio was set at 0.9.

Results

Sixty patients (15.0%) developed SMM loss. These patients had a significantly prolonged prothrombin time (P = 0.0092), longer duration of surgery (P = 0.0021), more blood loss (P = 0.0040), and higher rate of postoperative complications (P = 0.0037) than those without SMM loss. Multivariate analysis revealed that prolonged prothrombin time and postoperative complications were independent risk factors for SMM loss after hepatic resection. Patients with SMM loss had significantly shorter overall survival (P = 0.0018) than the other patients had. SMM loss was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (hazard ratio 1.551, 95% confidential interval 1.028–2.340, P = 0.0363).

Conclusions

We demonstrated an association of SMM loss with postoperative complications and long‐term prognosis in patients with HCC. Patients with prolonged prothrombin time, or postoperative complications, may need to maintain their SMM. Further prospective studies are needed to investigate whether nutritional support can improve SMM loss.

The use of alternate vertebral levels to L3 in computed tomography scans for skeletal muscle mass evaluation and sarcopenia assessment in patients with cancer: a systematic review

Body composition measurement using diagnostic computed tomography (CT) scans has emerged as a method to assess sarcopenia (low muscle mass) in oncology patients. Assessment of skeletal muscle mass (SMM) using the cross-sectional area of a single vertebral slice (at lumbar L3) in a CT scan is correlated with whole-body skeletal muscle volume. This method is used to assess CT-defined sarcopenia in patients with cancer, with low SMM effecting outcomes. However, as diagnostic scans are based on tumour location, not all include L3. We evaluated the evidence for the use of alternate vertebral CT slices for SMM evaluation when L3 is not available. Five electronic databases were searched from January 1996 to April 2020 for studies using CT scan vertebral slices above L3 for SM measurement in adults with cancer (solid tumours). Validation with whole-body SMM, rationale for the chosen slice and sarcopenia cut-off values were investigated. Thirty-two studies were included, all retrospective and cross-sectional in design. Cervical, thoracic and lumbar slices were used (from C3 to L1), with no validation of whole-body SMM using CT scans. Alternate slices were used in lung, and head and neck cancer patients. Sarcopenia cut-off values were reported in 75 % of studies, with differing methods, with or without sex-specific values, and a lack of consensus. Current evidence is inadequate to provide definitive recommendations for alternate vertebral slice use for SMM evaluation in cancer patients. Variation in sarcopenia cut-offs warrants more robust investigation, in order for risk stratification to be applied to all patients with cancer.

Nutritional Support in Lung Cancer Patients: The State of the Art

Lung cancer (LC) represents the most commonly diagnosed neoplasm worldwide for both sexes and is the leading cause of cancer mortality. Malnutrition is a comorbidity frequently found in neoplastic patients, but it remains often underestimated and thus undertreated. In this review, we aimed to investigate the incidence of malnutrition among LC patients according to different screening and assessment tools, to evaluate the impact of weight loss and body composition on survival, and to analyze the efficacy of different nutritional interventions in this setting. Although malnutrition, weight loss, and body composition changes can affect survival and other clinical outcomes in LC patients, the role of nutritional interventions is not yet strongly proven, and further studies are recommended. Nevertheless, screening, assessing, and eventually treating malnutrition in LC patients are strongly recommended, according to the most recent nutritional intervention guidelines for oncology patients.

Low Skeletal Muscle Mass Is a Risk Factor for Aspiration Pneumonia During Chemoradiotherapy

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate whether pretreatment skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) is a predictor for the risk of aspiration pneumonia and to explore the relationship between low SMI and overall survival (OS) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) receiving chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients with HNSCC who received CRT during 2010-2019. Patients received a combination of radiotherapy and cisplatin-based chemotherapy (3 cycles of 80 mg/m² cisplatin on days 1, 22, and 43). Aspiration pneumonia were defined as the presence of both subjective and objective symptoms. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated to analyze survival.

RESULTS

Among the 159 patients, 36 (22.6%) developed aspiration pneumonia during treatment. Median SMI in patients with and without pneumonia was 12.4 cm² /m² (9.0-20.7) and 13.6 cm² /m² (8.1-19.7), respectively (P < .01). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that SMI was the only independent predictor of aspiration pneumonia (P = .0026). Mean OS was significantly shorter for patients with low SMI than for patients with normal SMI (66.9 months vs. 92.7 months, P = .001).

CONCLUSION

Pretreatment low SMI predicts development of aspiration pneumonia and is a strong negative prognostic predictor for OS in patients with HNSCC undergoing CRT. Supportive treatment can be provided to patients at high risk of a low SMI. This study is the first to report SMI as a prognostic predictor in HNSCC. Laryngoscope, 131:E1524-E1529, 2021.

[Surgical management of resectable non-small cell lung cancer: Towards new paradigms]

Adapting therapies and providing personalized care for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer represent major challenges. This involves integrating several parameters into the patient's management, not only crude pathologic results, but also a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in tumor progression. Many studies have looked at the impact of host and tumor characteristics and their interactions through inflammatory processes or tumor immune environment. Beyond tumor stage, poor nutrition, sarcopenia and inflammatory state have been identified as independent factors that can directly impact postoperative outcome. The development of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), in which patient becomes the main player in their own management, seems to be an interesting answer since it seems to allow a reduction in postoperative complications, length of stay and indirectly reduction in costs. A broader and more complete vision including morphometric evaluation of the patient, physical performances, inflammatory state and nutritional state would provide additional discriminating information which can predict postoperative outcome and help in adapting therapies in a personalized way.

Risk factors for progressive sarcopenia 6 months after complete resection of lung cancer: what can thoracic surgeons do against sarcopenia?

Background

Our previous report described how postoperative progression of sarcopenia predicted long-term prognosis after complete resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in heavy smokers. However, there are currently no effective means to treat progressive sarcopenia. In this study, we aimed to confirm our previous findings in a larger population and to identify factors associated with postoperative progression of sarcopenia to propose possible preventative measures.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed the data of 1,095 patients who underwent curative lobar resection for NSCLC at Kanagawa Cancer Center. We divided patients into four groups according to sex and Brinkman index (BI) above or below 600. Six-month postoperative changes in the skeletal muscle index (SMI) were calculated and associations between clinicopathological factors including changes in SMI and mortality from postoperative 6 months were examined. Only in groups in which postoperative depletion of SMI was shown to be associated with the prognosis, we identified clinicopathological factors associated with depletive SMI.

Results

The overall survival rates of 1,095 patients were 89.8% and 82.5% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. The median 6-month change in SMI was –3.4% (range, −22.3% to +17.9%). Multivariate analysis revealed that poor prognosis was independently predicted by a large reduction in the SMI (cut-off value: −10%) in males with a BI ≥600. In 391 heavy-smoking males, factors associated with a postoperative change in SMI ≤−10% were history of other cancers (including gastric cancer) low forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1.0, cut-off value: 1,870 mL), and prolonged operation time (cut-off value: 200 minutes).

Conclusions

Perioperative measures to prevent postoperative sarcopenia are appropriate for heavy smokers. We obtained some clues regarding countermeasures, one of which may be avoiding long-time operation. Further studies including clinical trials to assess perioperative anti-sarcopenia treatments, are needed.

Clinical impact of skeletal muscle area in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with anti-PD-1 inhibitors

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinical impact of skeletal muscle area (SMA) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors.

METHODS

Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on data of 103 patients with advanced or recurrent NSCLC treated with anti-PD-1 inhibitors. The SMA was measured at the level of the third lumbar vertebral (L3) on computed tomography images using OsiriX software (32-bit, version 5.8; OsiriX, Geneva, Switzerland). The L3 muscle index (cm²/m²) was defined as the SMA (cm²) at the L3 level divided by the height (m) squared.

RESULTS

L3 muscle index ^Low was an independent predictor of both progression-free (P = 0.0399) and overall survival (P = 0.0155). Moreover, the disease control rate was significantly lower in the L3 muscle index ^Low group (49.0% [25/51]) than in the L3 muscle index ^High group (73.1% [38/52]; P = 0.0117). However, there was no significant difference between the response rates of the L3 muscle index ^Low group (21.6% [11/51]) and L3 muscle index ^High group (32.7% [17/52]; P = 0.2031).

CONCLUSIONS

L3 muscle index ^Low is an independent predictor of worse outcomes in NSCLC patients treated with anti-PD-1 inhibitors.

Impact of Sarcopenia on Surgical Outcomes in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia influences overall survival (OS) and tumor progression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, the impact of postoperative complications and the outcome of limited surgery have not been highlighted. Therefore, the aim of this study is to elucidate the prognostic impact of sarcopenia on surgical outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study included NSCLC patients who had undergone lung cancer resection between 2007 and 2017. Sarcopenia was confirmed based on computed tomography of the cross-sectional area of the psoas muscle at the third lumbar vertebra level. We used propensity score-matched analysis to elucidate the impact of sarcopenia on postoperative complications and limited surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 391 patients were enrolled, including 198 sarcopenic patients. Multivariate analysis showed that sarcopenia was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor associated with OS and recurrence-free survival [hazard ratio (HR), 3.33, P < 0.001; HR, 2.76, P < 0.001, respectively]. Regarding the incidence of postoperative complications, there was no difference between sarcopenic and nonsarcopenic patients (69/198 versus 55/193, P = 0.19). After propensity score matching, among patients without sarcopenia, the 5-year OS was lower in those with limited surgery than in those with standard surgery (70.7% vs. 96.4%, P = 0.011). In contrast, among sarcopenic patients, there was no difference in the 5-year OS between patients with limited surgery and those with standard surgery (53.2% vs. 60.7%, P = 0.66).

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia is a prognostic predictor for poor OS and may contribute to the selection of limited surgery for sarcopenic patients. Preoperative assessment of sarcopenia may provide clinically important information.

Pre-Disease and Pre-Surgery BMI, Weight Loss and Sarcopenia Impact Survival of Resected Lung Cancer Independently of Tumor Stage

Lower pre-surgery Body Mass Index (BMI) and low muscle mass impact negatively long-term survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We investigated their influence on survival after major lung resection for NSCLC.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database was made on 304 consecutive patients.

RESULTS

Underweight, normal, overweight and obese patients represented 7.6%, 51.6%, 28.6%, and 12.6% of the pre-disease population. Weight loss and gain were recorded in 5% and 44.4% of patients, respectively. Low muscle mass was more frequently associated with BMI < 25 kg/m² (p < 0.000001). Overall survival was positively affected by pre-disease (p = 0.036) and pre-surgery (p = 0.017) BMI > 25 kg/m², and, even more, in case of BMI > 25 kg/m² and increasing weight (p = 0.012). Long-term outcome was negatively influenced by low muscle mass (p = 0.042) and weight loss (p = 0.0052) as well as age (p = 0.017), ASA categories (p = 0.025), extent of resection (p = 0.0001), pleural invasion (p = 0.0012) and higher pathologic stage (p < 0.0001). Three stepwise multivariable models confirmed the independent favorable prognostic value of higher pre-disease (RR 0.66[0.49-0.89], p = 0.006) and pre-surgery BMI (RR 0.72[0.54-0.98], p = 0.034), and the absence of low muscle mass (RR 0.56[0.37-0.87], p = 0.0091).

CONCLUSIONS

Body reserves assessed by simple clinical markers impact survival of surgically treated NSCLC. Strategies improving body fat and muscular mass before surgery should be considered.

Psoas muscle mass in patients undergoing lung cancer surgery: a prognostic difference between squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Psoas muscle mass is a surrogate marker for sarcopenia: a depletion of skeletal muscle mass. This study was conducted to elucidate the prognostic significance of the psoas muscle index (PMI: cross-sectional area of the bilateral psoas muscle at the umbilical level on computed tomography/height² [cm²/m²]) in patients undergoing surgery for lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and lung adenocarcinoma (ADC).

METHODS

One hundred and sixty-five patients with SCC and 556 patients with ADC who underwent R0 resection between 2007 and 2014 were reviewed for analysis. In SCC patients, the mean value (standard deviation) of the PMI was 6.15 (1.49) in men and 4.65 (1.36) in women. Among ADC patients, the PMI was 7.12 (1.60) in men and 5.29 (1.22) in women. Clinicopathological characteristics as well as the survival were evaluated.

RESULTS

The PMI was associated with the age, body mass index (BMI), and serum albumin. In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, after adjusting for age, BMI, serum albumin, sex, pathological stage, and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, the PMI showed a significant association with the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in SCC patients (hazard ratios 0.50 and 0.56, 95% confidence intervals 0.39-0.65 and 0.45-0.71, respectively). On the other hand, in ADC patients, the PMI had no impact on the OS or DFS.

CONCLUSIONS

The PMI was significantly associated with the survival of lung SCC patients, but not of lung ADC patients, suggesting the presence of a previously unidentified relationship between skeletal muscle and lung SCC progression.

Cancer cachexia in thoracic malignancy: a narrative review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Thoracic malignancies are amongst the most lethal of all cancers. Cancer cachexia lacks unanimously accepted diagnostic criteria, and therefore is referenced to as a conceptual framework whereby cancer cachexia is 'an ongoing loss of skeletal muscle mass (termed sarcopenia), with or without loss of fat mass that cannot be reversed by conventional nutritional support and leads to progressive functional impairment'. This review summarises the current evidence base in this field, including imaging techniques currently used to define sarcopenia, inflammatory and metabolic changes associated with the syndrome and ongoing research into potential treatment strategies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Sarcopenia is a key component of the cancer cachexia syndrome. It is common in patients with both early-stage and advanced NSCLC. Patients with sarcopenia have more treatment-related side effects and poorer overall survival compared with nonsarcopenic patients.

SUMMARY

Early identification of cancer cachexia may facilitate stratification of patients most-at-risk and initiation of emerging anticachexia treatments. If these are proven to be effective, this strategy has the potential to improve tolerance to anti-cancer therapies, improving the quality of life, and perhaps the survival, of patients with thoracic malignancies.

Effect of Changes in Skeletal Muscle Mass on Oncological Outcomes During First-Line Sunitinib Therapy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is a state of degenerative skeletal muscle wasting induced by cancer cachexia.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prognostic impact of changes in skeletal muscle mass (SMM) during first-line sunitinib therapy on oncological outcomes in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixty-nine patients were evaluated retrospectively. The skeletal muscle index (SMI) was calculated based on computed tomography images obtained before the initiation (pre-treatment SMI) and after two cycles of sunitinib treatment (post-treatment SMI). The change in SMM was evaluated based on the value of ΔSMI, which was calculated as [(posttreatment SMI - pretreatment SMI)/ pretreatment SMI] × 100. Oncological outcomes were compared between patients with ΔSMI <0 (SMM decrease) and ΔSMI ≥0 (SMM maintenance).

RESULTS

A decrease in SMM was observed in 38 patients (55.1%). Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) after sunitinib therapy initiation were significantly shorter in patients with ΔSMI <0 than in those with ΔSMI ≥0 (median PFS: 9.53 vs. 28.4 months, p < 0.0001; OS: 19.8 vs. 52.6 months, p = 0.0001). ΔSMI was an independent predictive factor for PFS (HR 3.25, 95% CI 1.74-6.29, p = 0.0002) and OS (HR 4.53, 95% CI 2.15-10.5, p < 0.0001). The objective response rate was significantly lower in patients with ΔSMI <0 than in those with ΔSMI ≥0 (23.7% vs. 51.6%, p = 0.0164).

CONCLUSION

Decreased SMM during first-line sunitinib therapy can be an effective marker of outcome prediction for mRCC.

Effect of progressive sarcopenia during postoperative 6 months on long-term prognosis of completely resected lung cancer

Background

Preoperative sarcopenia has been indicated to be a potential prognostic factor for patients after complete resection of lung cancer. This study evaluated whether changes in the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) over postoperative 6 months could predict long-term prognosis from 6 months after complete resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed data of 468 patients who underwent curative lobar resection for non-small cell lung cancer at our hospital. The 6-month postoperative change in SMI was calculated, and associations between clinicopathological factors (including the change in SMI) and postoperative mortality were examined.

Results

Rates of overall survival were 90.6% after 3 years and 80.7% after 5 years. The median 6-month change in SMI was -3.4% (range, -22.3% to 14.7%). Multivariate analysis revealed that poor outcomes were independently predicted by a large change in SMI, age, pathological stage, lymphovascular invasion, and a Brinkman index of ≥600. Through the analysis in training and validation sets, we determined a cut-off value of -9.9% for the 6-month postoperative change in SMI. Subgroup analysis showed that depletion of SMI during postoperative 6 months was a risk factor for poorer prognosis only in heavy smokers with a Brinkman index of ≥600.

Conclusions

A reduction in SMI during the 6 months after complete resection of non-small cell lung cancer significantly predicted prognosis, especially in heavy smokers. These results suggest that attention should be given to prevent the perioperative progression of sarcopenia after curative resection of lung cancer. Thoracic surgeons should take how to manage perioperatively against sarcopenia into consideration.

Skeletal muscle loss during systemic chemotherapy for colorectal cancer indicates treatment response: a pooled analysis of a multicenter clinical trial (KSCC 1605-A)

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia or degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass is related to poor prognosis in patients with cancer. This study aimed to clarify the clinical significance of skeletal muscle loss (SML) during chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

METHODS

A total of 249 patients who were secondarily registered in a pooled database of mCRC patients with the first-line systemic chemotherapy and prospectively enrolled in six clinical trials of Kyushu Study Group of Clinical Cancer were included in this study. Skeletal muscle area was calculated from computed tomography images before and 3 and 6 months after treatment. Baseline sarcopenia and SML (cut-off value = 9%) were evaluated.

RESULTS

Baseline sarcopenia was observed in 135 of 219 patients who were evaluated before treatment. They tended to be male; older; and have lower body mass index, lower visceral and subcutaneous fat contents, and a lower waist circumference (P < 0.01); however, baseline sarcopenia was not associated with prognosis. SML at 3 months was associated with an incidence of adverse events (P = 0.01), poor objective response rate (ORR) (P < 0.01), and poor progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.03), and it was an independent predictive factor for poor ORR (P < 0.01) and PFS (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

SML at 3 months after systemic chemotherapy for mCRC was associated with poor treatment response. Thus, clarifying the importance of SML prevention guarantees a more effective chemotherapy.

Optimizing health before elective thoracic surgery: systematic review of modifiable risk factors and opportunities for health services research

Despite progress in many different domains of surgical care, we are still striving toward practices which will consistently lead to the best care for an increasingly complex surgical population. Thoracic surgical patients, as a group, have multiple medical co-morbidities and are at increased risk for developing complications after surgical intervention. Our healthcare systems have been focused on treating complications as they occur in the hopes of minimizing their impact, as well as aiding in recovery. In recent years there has emerged a body of evidence outlining opportunities to optimize patients and likely prevent or decrease the impact of many complications. The purpose of this review article is to summarize four major domains-optimal pain control, nutritional status, functional fitness, and smoking cessation-all of which can have a substantial impact on the thoracic surgical patient's course in the hospital-as well as to describe opportunities for improvement, and areas for future research efforts.