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. 2013 Mar 19;108(5):1034-41.
doi: 10.1038/bjc.2013.58. Epub 2013 Mar 5.

Sarcopenia and body mass index predict sunitinib-induced early dose-limiting toxicities in renal cancer patients

O Huillard  1 , O Mir, M Peyromaure, C Tlemsani, J Giroux, P Boudou-Rouquette, S Ropert, N Barry Delongchamps, M Zerbib, F Goldwasser
Affiliations

Sarcopenia and body mass index predict sunitinib-induced early dose-limiting toxicities in renal cancer patients

O Huillard et al. Br J Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Little is known on factors predicting sunitinib toxicity. Recently, the condition of low muscle mass, named sarcopenia, was identified as a significant predictor of toxicity in metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) patients treated with sorafenib. We investigated whether sarcopenia could predict early dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) occurrence in mRCC patients treated with sunitinib.

Methods: Consecutive mRCC patients treated with sunitinib were retrospectively reviewed. A DLT was defined as any toxicity leading to dose reduction or treatment discontinuation. Body composition was evaluated using CT scan obtained within 1 month before treatment initiation.

Results: Among 61 patients eligible for analysis, 52.5% were sarcopenic and 32.8% had both sarcopenia and a body mass index (BMI)<25 kg m(-2). Eighteen patients (29.5%) experienced a DLT during the first cycle. Sarcopenic patients with a BMI<25 kg m(-2) experienced more DLTs (P=0.01; odds ratio=4.1; 95% CI: (1.3-13.3)), more cumulative grade 2 or 3 toxicities (P=0.008), more grade 3 toxicities (P=0.04) and more acute vascular toxicities (P=0.009).

Conclusion: Patients with sarcopenia and a BMI<25 kg m(-2) experienced significantly more DLTs during the first cycle of treatment.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patients selection for analysis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of BMI, muscle index and early DLT. (A) Distribution of BMI, muscle index and early DLT for men. Symbols represent individual patients, filled triangles represent patients with early DLT. (B) Distribution of BMI, muscle index and early DLT for women. Symbols represent individual patients, filled triangles represent patients with early DLT.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Progression-free survival and overall survival. (A) Progression-free survival in sarcopenic patients with low BMI compared with remaining patients. (B) Overall survival in sarcopenic patients with low BMI compared with remaining patients.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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