Association Between Sarcopenia and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Esophageal Cancer Under Neoadjuvant Therapy

Abstract

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate the association of sarcopenia and Clinical Outcomes with esophageal cancer under neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Patients and methods: A retrospective study assessing patients with esophageal cancer who underwent CRT between 2001 and 2014 was conducted in the medical center. Hospital patients' records on sarcopenia and treatment outcomes were statistically analyzed.

Results: The sarcopenia group had significantly lower body mass index than the non-sarcopenia group. CRT-related severe adverse events with mucositis, fever, and neutropenic fever were greater in the sarcopenia group. Overall survival and disease-free survival were significantly better in the non-sarcopenia group. Sarcopenic patients who received nutritional support with enteral access had less severe mucositis. There was no difference in mortality of sarcopenia patients with nutritional support via enteral access or without. Moreover, sarcopenia and advanced tumor stage were independent factors for mortality outcome.

Conclusion: Sarcopenia before CRT may be associated with increased toxicities and worse overall survival/ disease-free survival in esophageal cancer patients.

Keywords: Sarcopenia; clinical outcomes; esophageal cancer; neoadjuvant therapy.