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Multicenter Study
. 2024 Dec 30;14(1):31816.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-83082-3.

Impact of body composition and muscle health phenotypes on survival outcomes in colorectal cancer: a multicenter cohort

Ana Lúcia Miranda  1   2 , Jarson Pedro da Costa Pereira  3 , Iasmin Matias de Sousa  1 , Glaucia Mardrini Cassiano Ferreira  1 , Mara Rubia de Oliveira Bezerra  4 , Gabriela Villaça Chaves  5 , Fernanda F Maciel  5 , Leonardo Borges Murad  5 , Sara Maria Moreira Lima Verde  6 , Sílvia Fernandes Maurício  7 , José Barreto Campello Carvalheira  8 , Maria Carolina Mendes  8 , Maria Cristina Gonzalez  9 , Carla M Prado  10 , Ana Paula Trussardi Fayh  11   12
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Impact of body composition and muscle health phenotypes on survival outcomes in colorectal cancer: a multicenter cohort

Ana Lúcia Miranda et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Body composition abnormalities are prognostic markers in several types of cancer, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Using our data distribution on body composition assessments and classifications could improve clinical evaluations and support population-specific opportune interventions. This study aimed to evaluate the distribution of body composition from computed tomography and assess the associations with overall survival among patients with CRC. In this multicenter cohort study, patients (N = 635) aged 18 years and older with CRC were observed for 12 to 36 months to assess outcomes. Skeletal muscle area (SM) and index (SMI), skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD), intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were evaluated, and classified based on tertile distributions. Low muscle mass (SMI) and poor muscle composition (SMD) were independent predictors of mortality regardless of follow-up period. This risk of mortality increased to more than 3-fold when combining both low SMI and low SMD (HRadjusted 3.1, 95% CI 1.8 to 5.4, respectively). Our study indicates that body composition characteristics may vary across countries, highlighting the need for developing sex- and population-specific cutoff values for computed tomography assessments in patients with different types of cancer.

Keywords: Body composition; Cancer; Computed tomography; Muscle mass; Survival.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: CMP has previously received honoraria and/or paid consultancy from Abbott Nutrition, Nutricia, Nestlé Health Science, Pfizer, and AMRA Medical. MCG has received honoraria and/or paid consultancy from Abbott Nutrition, Nutricia, and Nestlé Health Science Brazil. APTF reports receiving a grant for research from Prodiet Medical Nutrition. The other authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study flowchart. CT, computed tomography; L3, third lumbar vertebra.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Kaplan-Meier curves of 36-month survival probability in patients with colorectal cancer by tertiles of CT-derived body composition abnormalities. CT, computed tomography; SMD, skeletal muscle radiodensity; MM, muscle mass; SM, skeletal muscle; SMI, skeletal muscle index; SAT, subcutaneous adipose tissue; VAT, visceral adipose; IMAT, intramuscular adipose tissue. Shaded areas mean 95% confidence intervals for survival probabilities.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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