Impact of Preoperative CT-Measured Sarcopenia on Clinical, Pathological, and Oncological Outcomes After Elective Rectal Cancer Surgery

<b>Background:</b> Patients with rectal cancer may be exposed to a loss of muscle strength and quality. This study aimed to assess the role of preoperative CT-based sarcopenia on postoperative clinical, pathological, and oncological outcomes after rectal cancer surgery. <b>Methods:...

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Main Authors: David Martin, Mathilde Billy, Fabio Becce, Damien Maier, Michael Schneider, Clarisse Dromain, Dieter Hahnloser, Martin Hübner, Fabian Grass
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Diagnostics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/15/5/629
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author David Martin
Mathilde Billy
Fabio Becce
Damien Maier
Michael Schneider
Clarisse Dromain
Dieter Hahnloser
Martin Hübner
Fabian Grass
author_facet David Martin
Mathilde Billy
Fabio Becce
Damien Maier
Michael Schneider
Clarisse Dromain
Dieter Hahnloser
Martin Hübner
Fabian Grass
author_sort David Martin
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background:</b> Patients with rectal cancer may be exposed to a loss of muscle strength and quality. This study aimed to assess the role of preoperative CT-based sarcopenia on postoperative clinical, pathological, and oncological outcomes after rectal cancer surgery. <b>Methods:</b> This retrospective monocentric study included patients who underwent elective oncologic resection for rectal adenocarcinoma between 01/2014 and 03/2022. The skeletal muscle index (SMI) was measured using CT at the third lumbar vertebral level, and sarcopenia was defined based on pre-established sex-specific cut-offs. Patients with sarcopenia were compared to those without sarcopenia in terms of outcomes. A Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to determine the independent prognostic factors of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). <b>Results:</b> A total of 208 patients were included, and 123 (59%) had preoperative sarcopenia. Patients with sarcopenia were significantly older (66 vs. 61 years, <i>p</i> = 0.003), had lower BMI (24 vs. 28 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, <i>p</i> < 0.001), and were mainly men (76 vs. 48%, <i>p</i> < 0.001). There was no difference in overall and major complication rates between the sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia group (43 vs. 37%, <i>p</i> = 0.389, and 17 vs. 17%, <i>p</i> = 1.000, respectively). Preoperative and postoperative features related to rectal surgery were comparable. The only predictive factor impacting OS was R1/R2 resection (HR 4.915, 95% CI, 1.141–11.282, <i>p</i> < 0.001), while sarcopenia (HR 2.013, 95% CI 0.972–4.173, <i>p</i> = 0.050) and T3/T4 status (HR 2.108, 95% CI 1.058–4.203, <i>p</i> = 0.034) were independently associated with DFS. <b>Conclusions:</b> A majority of patients undergoing rectal cancer surgery had preoperative CT-based sarcopenia. In this cohort, sarcopenia had no impact on postoperative morbidity and OS but was independently associated with DFS.
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spelling doaj-art-66c4a3cdf953452ebfe3a11fac47f8282025-08-20T02:58:58ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182025-03-0115562910.3390/diagnostics15050629Impact of Preoperative CT-Measured Sarcopenia on Clinical, Pathological, and Oncological Outcomes After Elective Rectal Cancer SurgeryDavid Martin0Mathilde Billy1Fabio Becce2Damien Maier3Michael Schneider4Clarisse Dromain5Dieter Hahnloser6Martin Hübner7Fabian Grass8Department of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1011 Lausanne, SwitzerlandDepartment of Visceral Surgery, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland<b>Background:</b> Patients with rectal cancer may be exposed to a loss of muscle strength and quality. This study aimed to assess the role of preoperative CT-based sarcopenia on postoperative clinical, pathological, and oncological outcomes after rectal cancer surgery. <b>Methods:</b> This retrospective monocentric study included patients who underwent elective oncologic resection for rectal adenocarcinoma between 01/2014 and 03/2022. The skeletal muscle index (SMI) was measured using CT at the third lumbar vertebral level, and sarcopenia was defined based on pre-established sex-specific cut-offs. Patients with sarcopenia were compared to those without sarcopenia in terms of outcomes. A Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to determine the independent prognostic factors of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). <b>Results:</b> A total of 208 patients were included, and 123 (59%) had preoperative sarcopenia. Patients with sarcopenia were significantly older (66 vs. 61 years, <i>p</i> = 0.003), had lower BMI (24 vs. 28 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, <i>p</i> < 0.001), and were mainly men (76 vs. 48%, <i>p</i> < 0.001). There was no difference in overall and major complication rates between the sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia group (43 vs. 37%, <i>p</i> = 0.389, and 17 vs. 17%, <i>p</i> = 1.000, respectively). Preoperative and postoperative features related to rectal surgery were comparable. The only predictive factor impacting OS was R1/R2 resection (HR 4.915, 95% CI, 1.141–11.282, <i>p</i> < 0.001), while sarcopenia (HR 2.013, 95% CI 0.972–4.173, <i>p</i> = 0.050) and T3/T4 status (HR 2.108, 95% CI 1.058–4.203, <i>p</i> = 0.034) were independently associated with DFS. <b>Conclusions:</b> A majority of patients undergoing rectal cancer surgery had preoperative CT-based sarcopenia. In this cohort, sarcopenia had no impact on postoperative morbidity and OS but was independently associated with DFS.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/15/5/629sarcopeniacomputed tomographyrectal cancersurgeryoutcomes
spellingShingle David Martin
Mathilde Billy
Fabio Becce
Damien Maier
Michael Schneider
Clarisse Dromain
Dieter Hahnloser
Martin Hübner
Fabian Grass
Impact of Preoperative CT-Measured Sarcopenia on Clinical, Pathological, and Oncological Outcomes After Elective Rectal Cancer Surgery
Diagnostics
sarcopenia
computed tomography
rectal cancer
surgery
outcomes
title Impact of Preoperative CT-Measured Sarcopenia on Clinical, Pathological, and Oncological Outcomes After Elective Rectal Cancer Surgery
title_full Impact of Preoperative CT-Measured Sarcopenia on Clinical, Pathological, and Oncological Outcomes After Elective Rectal Cancer Surgery
title_fullStr Impact of Preoperative CT-Measured Sarcopenia on Clinical, Pathological, and Oncological Outcomes After Elective Rectal Cancer Surgery
title_full_unstemmed Impact of Preoperative CT-Measured Sarcopenia on Clinical, Pathological, and Oncological Outcomes After Elective Rectal Cancer Surgery
title_short Impact of Preoperative CT-Measured Sarcopenia on Clinical, Pathological, and Oncological Outcomes After Elective Rectal Cancer Surgery
title_sort impact of preoperative ct measured sarcopenia on clinical pathological and oncological outcomes after elective rectal cancer surgery
topic sarcopenia
computed tomography
rectal cancer
surgery
outcomes
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/15/5/629
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