Utilisation of intramuscular and intermuscular fat to develop a new skeletal muscle grading score which can predict treatment outcomes for locally advanced rectal cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sarcopenia has been widely studied in rectal cancer with increasing evidence to suggest that other body composition parameters, in particular adipose tissue, have an important role. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) now allow 3D body composition analysis of intermuscular/intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) from CT scans. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a skeletal muscle score (SMS), utilising skeletal muscle (SM) and IMAT measurements, to predict treatment response and survival outcomes for rectal cancer patients.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on 226 patients with localised rectal adenocarcinoma treated at Western Health between 2013 and 2024. Body composition metrics, including SM and IMAT volume and density from the L1-S5 vertebr

SUBMITTER: Besson A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12907271 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature