Skeletal muscle mass at C3 may not be a strong predictor for skeletal muscle mass at L3 in sarcopenic patients with head and neck cancer

The role of radiotherapy planning images in monitoring malnutrition and predicting prognosis in head and neck cancer patients: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Adaptive treatment planning can be made in radiotherapy of head and neck cancer patients for reasons such as changes in tumor volume or weight loss. This study aims to find the role of treatment planning images in monitoring radiotherapy-induced malnutrition and predicting the malnutrition-induced prognosis in head and neck cancer patients.

METHODS

For this study, we analyzed 30 patients who received radiotherapy in our clinic between September 2018 and September 2021. Those patients, both regular and completed weekly dietitian counseling notes during radiotherapy and available adaptive radiotherapy planning images, were included in the analysis. All patients had weekly nutritional interventions, including nutritional and anthropometric changes in weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and lean body mass (LBM). Skeletal muscle volume, called cervical muscle gauge (CMG), was measured from the simulation images of beginning and adaptive radiotherapy. Inflammatory parameters, including the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and the systemic inflammatory index (SII), were also calculated from weekly total blood counts. For the analysis, anthropometric measurements were compared at the beginning and adaptive treatment time. Progression-free (PFS) and overall (OS) survival were calculated according to weight and CMG changes.

RESULTS

The median weight loss percentage was 4.8% (0 to 24%). The mean percentage of weight changes, LBM, and CMG were 6.33%, 3.47%, and 9.28%, respectively. Results indicated that BMI (p = 006), weight (p < 0.001), LBM (p < 0.001), and CMG (p = 0.057) decreased during radiotherapy. Hemoglobin levels decreased (p = 0.005), and inflammatory markers increased. There were significant correlations between weight and LBM (p < 0.0001) and CMG (p = 0.005) loss. The median follow-up was 26 months. Loss of weight (PFS; 65.5% vs. 35.7%, p = 0.09, OS; 73.7% vs. 32.1%, p = 0.09), LBM (PFS; 75% vs. 41.1%, p = 0.118, OS; 65.6% vs. 52%, p = 0.221) and CMG (PFS; 56.3% vs. 47.1%, p = 0.516, OS;76.9% vs. 32.4%, p = 0.059) negatively affected three-year survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Cervical muscle volume measurement may help predict malnutrition in patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Our study shows adaptive planning images may be used for this approach. In addition, this method may help to predict prognosis due to malnutrition in patients undergoing radiotherapy.

The prognostic significance of sarcopenia in patients treated with definitive radiotherapy: A systematic review

Sarcopenia describes the degenerative loss of muscle mass and strength, and is emerging as a pan-cancer prognostic biomarker. It is linked with increased treatment toxicity, decreased survival and significant healthcare financial burden. Systematic analyses of sarcopenia studies have focused on outcomes in patients treated surgically or with systemic therapies. There are few publications concerning patients treated with radiotherapy. This manuscript presents a pan-cancer systematic review of the association between sarcopenia and survival outcomes in patients treated with definitive (chemo-)radiotherapy. A literature search was performed, with 26 studies identified, including a total of 5,784 patients. The prognostic significance of sarcopenia was mixed. This may reflect lack of consensus in methods used to measure skeletal muscle mass and define sarcopenia. Many papers analyse small samples and present sarcopenia cutoffs optimised on the local population, which may not generalise to external populations. Recent advances in artificial intelligence allow for automatic measurement of body composition by segmenting the muscle compartment on routinely collected imaging. This provides opportunity for standardisation of measurement methods and definitions across populations. Adopting sarcopenia diagnosis into clinical workflows could reduce futile treatments and associated financial burden, by reducing treatment toxicities, and improving treatment completion, patient survival, and quality-of-life after cancer.

Imaging-based evaluation of cervical muscle mass and 6-month survival in males with hypopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND

A significant proportion of newly diagnosed patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma (HC) are at risk of early death and may not benefit from cancer treatments. Our objective was to assess whether an image-based evaluation of muscle mass could identify patients at risk of impaired survival.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study consisted of male patients diagnosed with HC treated at Helsinki University Hospital between 2005 and 2014 (N = 66). Cross-sectional areas of skeletal muscles at the level of the third cervical vertebra (C3) and at the level of the thoracic aortic apex were analyzed using magnetic resonance images and/or computed tomography images. Survival-based cutoff values for low muscle index values were determined using the receiver operating characteristics curves. Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the associations between the muscle indexes and survival rates.

RESULTS

Several muscle indexes were associated with 6-month and 5-year survival. The 6-month survival rate of males with a low sternocleidomastoid muscle index (cutoff 1.73 cm2/m2) was 66%, as opposed to the 97% survival rate for those with an above-the-cutoff muscle index (hazard ratio 13.0 [95% CI 1.5, 116.6]). In a multivariate Cox model adjusted for age, sex, tumor stage, and grade, lower sternocleidomastoid muscle index was significantly associated with decreased 6-month survival.

INTERPRETATION

C3-level muscle indexes, particularly the sternocleidomastoid muscle index, are a promising marker in the identification of patients at risk of early mortality and could add confidence in decision-making when choosing between active and palliative care.

Prevalence and Association of Sarcopenia with Mortality in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the association of sarcopenia defined on computed tomography (CT) head and neck with survival in head and neck cancer patients.

METHODS

Following a PROSPERO-registered protocol, two blinded reviewers extracted data and evaluated the quality of the included studies using the Quality In Prognostic Studies (QUIPS) tool, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) framework. A meta-analysis was conducted using maximally adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with the random-effects model. Heterogeneity was measured using the I2 statistic and was investigated using meta-regression and subgroup analyses where appropriate.

RESULTS

From 37 studies (11,181 participants), sarcopenia was associated with poorer overall survival (HR 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.81-2.45; p < 0.01), disease-free survival (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.38-2.24; p < 0.01), disease-specific survival (HR 2.65, 95% CI 1.80-3.90; p < 0.01), progression-free survival (HR 2.24, 95% CI 1.21-4.13; p < 0.01) and increased chemotherapy or radiotherapy toxicity (risk ratio 2.28, 95% CI 1.31-3.95; p < 0.01). The observed association between sarcopenia and overall survival remained significant across different locations of cancer, treatment modality, tumor stages and geographical region, and did not differ between univariate and multivariate HRs. Statistically significant correlations were observed between the C3 and L3 cross-sectional area, skeletal muscle mass, and skeletal muscle index.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with head and neck cancers, CT-defined sarcopenia was consistently associated with poorer survival and greater toxicity.

Sarcopenia predicts postoperative complications in head and neck cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the impact of preoperative sarcopenia on postoperative complication risks after head and neck cancer (HNC) surgery.

METHODS

We identified eligible studies by searching Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-Embase, EBM Reviews-Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science Core Collection, and Scopus. This systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidance.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies with a total of 3480 patients met our inclusion criteria. The presence of sarcopenia significantly increased the incidence of overall postoperative complications (OR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.23, 2.41; P = 0.002; I2 = 59%). Subgroup analyses showed a higher risk of postoperative complications in the populations in which sarcopenia was diagnosed with low L3-skeletal muscle index (L3-SMI) or low cross-sectional area of the rectus femoris, but not in the group that sarcopenia was diagnosed with low C3-SMI. Preoperative sarcopenia also substantially increased the risk of severe postoperative complications (OR = 2.26), pharyngocutaneous fistulas (OR = 2.15), free flap-related complications (OR = 1.63), and surgical site infections (OR = 1.84). We also found a tendency toward a higher incidence of wound complications and 30-day mortality in patients with sarcopenia.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative sarcopenia is a negative prognostic indicator for postoperative complications in patients with HNC after surgery. To reduce the incidence of postoperative complications and improve poor prognosis, further attention needs to be paid to the evaluation and management of preoperative sarcopenia.

Comparison between single-muscle evaluation and cross-sectional area muscle evaluation for predicting the prognosis in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study

Introduction

The most effective method of assessing sarcopenia has yet to be determined, whether by single muscle or by whole muscle segmentation. The purpose of this study was to compare the prognostic value of these two methods using computed tomography (CT) images in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Materials and methods

Sex- and age-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were employed for each parameter of sarcopenia related to overall survival, disease-free survival, and disease-specific survival. Harrell's concordance index was calculated for each model to assess discriminatory power.

Results

In this study including 165 patients, a significant correlation was found between the CT-based assessment of individual muscles and their cross-sectional area. Single muscle assessments showed slightly higher discriminatory power in survival outcomes compared to whole muscle assessments, but the difference was not statistically significant, as indicated by overlapping confidence intervals for the C-index between assessments. To further validate our measurements, we classified patients into two groups based on intramuscular adipose tissue content (P-IMAC) of the spinous process muscle. Analysis showed that the higher the P-IMAC value, the poorer the survival outcome.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate a slight advantage of single-muscle over whole-muscle assessment in prognostic evaluation, but the difference between the two methods is not conclusive. Both assessment methods provide valuable prognostic information for patients with OSCC, and further studies involving larger, independent cohorts are needed to clarify the potential advantage of one method over the other in the prognostic assessment of sarcopenia in OSCC.

Untailored vs. Gender- and Body-Mass-Index-Tailored Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (SMI) to Assess Sarcopenia in Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)

(1) Background: Sarcopenia lasting >1 year might be considered a chronic condition in many HNSCC patients. CT-scan-derived Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (SMI) is an established surrogate of sarcopenia; yet, the cut-off reported in the literature (literature-based, lb-SMI < 43.2) is mainly based on the risk of chemoradiotherapy-induced toxicity, and the optimal value to discriminate OS is under-investigated. (2) Methods: The effect on OS of the lb-SMI cutoff was compared with an untailored OS-oriented SMI cutoff obtained in a cohort of consecutive advanced HNSCC patients treated with primary chemoradiotherapy, bio-chemotherapy or chemo-immunotherapy (cohort-specific, cs-SMI cutoff). Gender- and BMI-tailored (gt-SMI and bt-SMI) cut-offs were also evaluated. Cutoff values were identified by using the maximally selected rank statistics for OS. (3) Results: In 115 HNSCC patients, the cs-SMI cutoff was 31.50, which was lower compared to the lb-SMI reported cut-off. The optimal cut-off separately determined in females, males, overweight and non-overweight patients were 46.02, 34.37, 27.32 and 34.73, respectively. gt-SMI categorization had the highest effect on survival (p < 0.0001); its prognostic value was independent of the treatment setting or the primary location and was retained in a multivariate cox-regression analysis for OS including other HNSCC-specific prognostic factors (p = 0.0004). (4) Conclusions: A tailored SMI assessment would improve clinical management of sarcopenia in chemoradiotherapy-, bio-chemotherapy- or chemo-immunotherapy-treated HNSCC patients. Gender-based SMI could be used for prognostication in HNSCC patients.

Analysis of muscle mass by computed tomography in patients with head and neck cancer: a prospective study

Objective

To evaluate the preoperative muscle mass of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) with computed tomography (CT), comparing the results obtained through analysis of cross-sectional areas at the level of the third lumbar vertebra (L3) with those obtained through analysis of cross-sectional areas at the levels of the third cervical and fourth thoracic vertebrae (C3 and T4, respectively).

Materials and Methods

A total of 63 patients with HNC were evaluated preoperatively. Using CT, we assessed muscle mass at L3, as well as at C3 and T4.

Results

Most (73.0%) of the patients had low muscle mass at L3, whereas 50.8% had a normal body mass index. The cross-sectional area at L3 correlated strongly with those at C3 and T4 (r = 0.831 and r = 0.763, respectively; p < 0.001 for both). In addition, the muscle mass index at L3 correlated strongly with those at C3 and T4 (r = 0.781 and r = 0.715, respectively; p < 0.001 for both).

Conclusion

Low muscle mass appears to be highly prevalent in patients with HNC. Measurements at C3 and T4 could represent alternative means of assessing muscle mass in such patients.

Role of sarcopenia on survival and treatment-related toxicity in head and neck cancer: a narrative review of current evidence and future perspectives

PURPOSE

The purpose of this article is to provide an up-to-date summary of sarcopenia and its clinical implications for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

METHODS

We conducted a literature review of recent studies investigating the prevalence of sarcopenia in HNC patients, its detection using MRI or CT scans, and its association with clinical outcomes such as disease-free and overall survival time, radiotherapy-related side effects, cisplatin toxicity, and surgical complications.

RESULTS

Sarcopenia, characterized by low skeletal muscle mass (SMM), is a prevalent condition in HNC patients and can be effectively detected using routine MRI or CT scans. Low SMM in HNC patients is associated with increased risks of shorter disease-free and overall survival times, as well as radiotherapy-related side effects such as mucositis, dysphagia, and xerostomia. In addition, cisplatin toxicity is more severe in HNC patients with low SMM, leading to higher dose-limiting toxicity and treatment interruptions. Low SMM may also predict higher risks of surgical complications in head and neck surgery. Identifying sarcopenic patients can aid physicians in better riskstratifying HNC patients for therapeutic or nutritional interventions to improve clinical outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia is a significant concern for HNC patients and can impact their clinical outcomes. Routine MRI or CT scans can effectively detect low SMM in HNC patients. Identifying sarcopenic patients can aid physicians in better risk-stratifying HNC patients for therapeutic or nutritional interventions to improve clinical outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the potential of interventions to mitigate the negative effects of sarcopenia in HNC patients.

Comparison of Skeletal Muscle Changes at Three Vertebral Levels Following Radiotherapy in Patients With Oropharyngeal Carcinoma

Evaluation of skeletal muscle (SM) depletion, or sarcopenia, utilizes the cross-sectional area (CSA) of computed tomography (CT) scans at the lumbar level L3. However, alternate vertebral landmarks are used in patients with head and neck cancer due to scan unavailability. Muscle changes following radiotherapy at cervical (C3) and thoracic (T2) levels were compared to L3 in patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma. Muscle density data were derived retrospectively from diagnostic PET-CT scans at C3, T2 and L3 pretreatment, and up to six months post. CSA changes were compared to L3 in scans of 33 patients (88% male, mean age 61 (SD 8.5) years). On matched pair analysis; mean L3-CSA change -12.1 cm² (SD 9.7, 95%CI -15.5 to -8.6, and p < 0.001), T2-CSA -30.5 cm² (SD 34.8, 95%CI -42.8 to -18.1, and p < 0.001) and C3-CSA +2.1 cm² (SD 4.1, 95%CI 0.63 to 3.5, and p < 0.00). No difference was found in the percentage change of T2-CSA with L3-CSA (mean -2.2%, SD 10.6, 95%CI -6.0 to 1.6, and p = 0.240), however, was significantly different to C3-CSA (mean 13.2%, SD 11.6, 95%CI 9.1 to 17.3, and p < 0.001). Results suggest SM at C3 does not change proportionately and may not be a reliable representation of whole-body SM change over time.

Prognostic Impact of Sarcopenia's Occurrence during Radiotherapy in Oropharyngeal Cancer Patients

The current study aims to profile sarcopenic condition (both at baseline and developed during treatment) in oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) patients treated with curative radiotherapy (RT) +/- chemotherapy and to evaluate its impact on oncological outcomes and toxicity. A total of 116 patients were included in this retrospective single-center study. Sarcopenia assessment at baseline and at 50 Gy re-evaluation CT was obtained from two different methodologies: (i) the L3-skeletal muscle index (SMI) derived from the contouring of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the masticatory muscles (CSA-MM); and (ii) the paravertebral and sternocleidomastoid muscles at the level of the third cervical vertebra (CSA-C3). Based on L3-SMI from CSA-MM, developing sarcopenic condition during RT (on-RT sarcopenia) was associated with worse progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.03) on multivariable analysis and a trend of correlation with overall survival (OS) was also evident (p = 0.05). According to L3-SMI derived from CSA-C3, on-RT sarcopenia was associated with worse PFS (p = 0.0096) and OS (p = 0.013) on univariate analysis; these associations were not confirmed on multivariable analysis. A significant association was reported between becoming on-RT sarcopenia and low baseline haemoglobin (p = 0.03) and the activation of nutritional counselling (p = 0.02). No significant associations were found between sarcopenia and worse RT toxicity. Our data suggest that the implementation of prompt nutritional support to prevent the onset of sarcopenia during RT could improve oncological outcomes in OPC setting.

The correlation of muscle quantity and quality between all vertebra levels and level L3, measured with CT: An exploratory study

Introduction

In patients with cancer, low muscle mass has been associated with a higher risk of fatigue, poorer treatment outcomes, and mortality. To determine body composition with computed tomography (CT), measuring the muscle quantity at the level of lumbar 3 (L3) is suggested. However, in patients with cancer, CT imaging of the L3 level is not always available. Thus far, little is known about the extent to which other vertebra levels could be useful for measuring muscle status. In this study, we aimed to assess the correlation of the muscle quantity and quality between any vertebra level and L3 level in patients with various tumor localizations.

Methods

Two hundred-twenty Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-CT images of patients with four different tumor localizations were included: 1. head and neck (n = 34), 2. esophagus (n = 45), 3. lung (n = 54), and 4. melanoma (n = 87). From the whole body scan, 24 slices were used, i.e., one for each vertebra level. Two examiners contoured the muscles independently. After contouring, muscle quantity was estimated by calculating skeletal muscle area (SMA) and skeletal muscle index (SMI). Muscle quality was assessed by calculating muscle radiation attenuation (MRA). Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine whether the other vertebra levels correlate with L3 level.

Results

For SMA, strong correlations were found between C1-C3 and L3, and C7-L5 and L3 (r = 0.72-0.95). For SMI, strong correlations were found between the levels C1-C2, C7-T5, T7-L5, and L3 (r = 0.70-0.93), respectively. For MRA, strong correlations were found between T1-L5 and L3 (r = 0.71-0.95).

Discussion

For muscle quantity, the correlations between the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar levels are good, except for the cervical levels in patients with esophageal cancer. For muscle quality, the correlations between the other levels and L3 are good, except for the cervical levels in patients with melanoma. If visualization of L3 on the CT scan is absent, the other thoracic and lumbar vertebra levels could serve as a proxy to measure muscle quantity and quality in patients with head and neck, esophageal, lung cancer, and melanoma, whereas the cervical levels may be less reliable as a proxy in some patient groups.

Evaluation of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in patients affected by oral squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective single-center study

This retrospective single-center study aimed to evaluate the relevance of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity as negative prognostic factors in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The study was performed on patients who underwent oral squamous cell carcinoma resection surgery. Patients' demographic and clinical variables were collected at diagnosis (sex, age, height, weight, comorbidities, smoke and alcohol consumption, HPV positivity, TNM-stage) and corrected for known prognostic factors (age, body mass index, TNM-stage). The Skeletal Muscle Mass (SMM) and the Cross-Sectional Area (CSA) on pre-treatment CT scans and Body Mass Index (BMI) were measured to assess sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity correlated to overall survival (OS). Chi-square statistics were used to analyze the differences between the frequencies of each categorical variable with the presence or absence of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity. The cumulative overall survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the differences between curves were evaluated by the log-rank test. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis of the overall survival. Within the limitations of the study, in this sample, sarcopenia did not seem to cause a statistically significant reduction in the overall survival in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (Log Rank χ2 = 3.67, p = 0.055; HR 0.996, 95% CI 0.732-1.354, p = 0.979), however, sarcopenic obesity showed a meaningful negative prognostic impact on it (Log Rank χ2 = 5.71, p = 0.017; HR 0.985, 95% CI 0.424-2.286, p = 0.972). Within the limitations of the study it seems that sarcopenic obesity, age, BMI, and TNM-stage are more relevant negative prognostic factors, influencing overall survival in surgically treated OSCC, than sarcopenia.

Prevalence and Impact of Computed Tomography-Defined Sarcopenia on Survival in Patients with Human Papillomavirus-Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer: A Systematic Review

Sarcopenia is a known independent prognostic factor for decreased survival in patients with head and neck cancer; yet, its importance for the growing number of younger patients diagnosed with human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC+) has not been established. This systematic literature review aimed to determine the prevalence and impact of computed tomography (CT)-defined sarcopenia on survival outcomes for adult OPC+ patients (>18 y) undergoing any treatment modality. Prospective studies were searched using PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and Web of Science up until and including February 2022. Bias was assessed using the Quality In Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool, and certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. In total, 9 studies (total pooled OPC+ patients, n  = 744) were identified and included in this review; 2 at low, 6 at moderate, and 1 at high risk of bias. All studies varied in sarcopenia assessment methods and skeletal muscle index threshold cutoff values. These studies demonstrated the cumulative prevalence of sarcopenia for OPC+ patients to be 42.9% (95% CI: 37.8%, 47.9%). While overall survival (3 studies, n = 253) and progression-free survival (1 study, n = 117) was lower in sarcopenic OPC+ patients, this was not statistically significant. GRADE certainty of evidence for impact of pretreatment sarcopenia on overall survival was low and progression-free survival was very low. Although these studies showed there to be a high prevalence of pretreatment sarcopenia in patients with OPC+, which may decrease survival, the impact on progression-free survival is very uncertain. Further, high-quality research utilizing consistent sarcopenia definitions and assessment methods that are conducted specifically in OPC+ is required to strengthen evidence certainty and determine if sarcopenia is an independent prognostic factor for this population.

Measurement of Sarcopenia in Head and Neck Cancer Patients and Its Association With Frailty

In head and neck cancer (HNC) there is a need for more personalized treatment based on risk assessment for treatment related adverse events (i.e. toxicities and complications), expected survival and quality of life. Sarcopenia, defined as a condition characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, can predict adverse outcomes in HNC patients. A review of the literature on the measurement of sarcopenia in head and neck cancer patients and its association with frailty was performed. Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) measurement only is often used to determine if sarcopenia is present or not. SMM is most often assessed by measuring skeletal muscle cross-sectional area on CT or MRI at the level of the third lumbar vertebra. As abdominal scans are not always available in HNC patients, measurement of SMM at the third cervical vertebra has been developed and is frequently used. Frailty is often defined as an age-related cumulative decline across multiple physiologic systems, with impaired homeostatic reserve and a reduced capacity of the organism to withstand stress, leading to increased risk of adverse health outcomes. There is no international standard measure of frailty and there are multiple measures of frailty. Both sarcopenia and frailty can predict adverse outcomes and can be used to identify vulnerable patients, select treatment options, adjust treatments, improve patient counselling, improve preoperative nutritional status and anticipate early on complications, length of hospital stay and discharge. Depending on the definitions used for sarcopenia and frailty, there is more or less overlap between both conditions. However, it has yet to be determined if sarcopenia and frailty can be used interchangeably or that they have additional value and should be used in combination to optimize individualized treatment in HNC patients.

Establishment and Validation of Pre-Therapy Cervical Vertebrae Muscle Quantification as a Prognostic Marker of Sarcopenia in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

Background

Sarcopenia is prognostic for survival in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). However, identification of this high-risk feature remains challenging without computed tomography (CT) imaging of the abdomen or thorax. Herein, we establish sarcopenia thresholds at the C3 level and determine if C3 sarcopenia is associated with survival in patients with HNC.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study was conducted in consecutive patients with a squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck with cross-sectional abdominal or neck imaging within 60 days prior to treatment. Measurement of cross-sectional muscle area at L3 and C3 levels was performed from CT imaging. Primary study outcome was overall survival.

Results

Skeletal muscle area at C3 was strongly correlated with the L3 level in both men (n = 188; r = 0.77; p < 0.001) and women (n = 65; r = 0.80; p < 0.001), and C3 sarcopenia thresholds of 14.0 cm²/m² (men) and 11.1 cm²/m² (women) were best predictive of L3 sarcopenia thresholds. Applying these C3 thresholds to a cohort of patients with neck imaging alone revealed that C3 sarcopenia was independently associated with reduced overall survival in men (HR = 2.63; 95% CI, 1.79, 3.85) but not women (HR = 1.18, 95% CI, 0.76, 1.85).

Conclusions

This study identifies sarcopenia thresholds at the C3 level that best predict L3 sarcopenia in men and women. In HNC, C3-defined sarcopenia is associated with poor survival outcomes in men, but not women, suggesting sarcopenia may differentially affect men and women with HNC.