Prognostic role of sarcopenia in metastatic colorectal cancer patients during first-line chemotherapy: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND Sarcopenia is a condition characterized by decreased skeletal muscle mass due to physiological ageing or to a concomitant disease such as neoplasia. In cancer patients, a low lean body mass is suggested to be a negative prognostic factor for survival and for the development of dose-limiting chemotherapy toxicities irrespective of disease stage. AIM To evaluate the prognostic role of sarcopenia in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) undergoing first-line chemotherapy. METHODS Our retrospective analysis included 56 mCRC patients who received first-line chemotherapy from 2014 to 2017 at the Medical Oncology Unit of our hospital. Computerized scans were performed before starting chemotherapy and at the first disease reassessment. Sarcopenia was assessed using the skeletal mass index = muscle area in cm(2)/(height in m(2)) calculated at the L3 vertebra. Overall survival and objective response rate were evaluated. Toxicities were analyzed during the first four cycles of therapy and graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0. A loss of skeletal muscle mass >= 5% was considered indicative of deterioration in muscle condition. RESULTS Median age was 67 years and 35.7% of patients were >= 70 years old. Fourteen patients (25%) were sarcopenic at baseline computed tomography (CT) scan (7/33 men; 7/23 women); 5/14 sarcopenic patients were >= 70 years old. Median follow-up was 26.8 mo (3.8-66.8 mo) and median overall survival was 27.2 mo (95%CI: 23.3-37.3). Sarcopenia was not correlated to overall survival (P = 0.362), to higher toxicities reported during the first 4 cycles of chemotherapy (P = 1.0) or to response to treatment (P = 0.221). At the first disease reassessment, a skeletal muscle loss (SML) >= 5% was found in 17 patients (30.3%) 3 of whom were already sarcopenic at baseline CT scan, while 7 patients became sarcopenic. SML was not correlated to overall survival (P = 0.961). No statistically significant correlation was found between baseline sarcopenia and age (P = 1.0), body mass index (P = 0.728), stage at diagnosis (P = 0.355) or neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (P = 0.751). CONCLUSION Neither baseline sarcopenia nor SML affected survival. In addition, baseline sarcopenia was not related to worse treatment toxicity. However, these results must be interpreted with caution due to the limited sample size.