The relationship between systemic therapies and low skeletal muscle mass in patients with intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Low skeletal muscle mass (LSMM) has been associated with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving systemic therapy. However, its impact across different treatment regimens remains unclear.

Methods

A retrospective study analyzed 714 patients with intermediate and advanced HCC, divided into immunotherapy (I, n=85), target-immunotherapy combination (I+T, n=545), and targeted therapy (T, n=84) groups based on treatment. Skeletal muscle was assessed via computed tomography (CT) at the third lumbar vertebral level (L3) before and after 3 months of treatment. LSMM was evaluated by the third lumbar skeletal muscle index (L3-SMI) using a predefined threshold. Patients were stratified by baseline values and treatment changes. Kaplan-Meier and Cox

SUBMITTER: Chen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11919905 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature