Clinical significance of skeletal muscle density and sarcopenia in patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing first-line chemotherapy: a retrospective observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

To investigate the clinical impact of sarcopenia and skeletal muscle density (SMD) among patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who underwent palliative first line gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.

Methods

A total of 330 patients treated with first line gemcitabine-based chemotherapy between January 2010 and March 2017 were included. CT scans before chemotherapy and after 8±2 weeks were evaluated. The L3 skeletal muscle index (SMI) was used to detect sarcopenia and calculated as the total area of the L3 skeletal muscle divided by the height-squared (cm2/m2). SMD was quantified as the mean muscle radiation attenuation of the muscle cross-sectional area across the L3 vertebral body level and was assessed between - 29 and + 150 Hounsfield units.

Results<

SUBMITTER: Kim IH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7814715 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature