Post-CRT sarcopenia predicts worse outcomes in locally advanced rectal cancer

Key clinical point: Pre-operative sarcopenia predicted shorter disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and recurrence of the liver in patients with lower advanced rectal cancer receiving preoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Major finding: Post-CRT sarcopenia was an independent prognostic factor for shorter DFS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.01; P = .049), OS (HR, 1.76; P = .036), and recurrence in the liver (HR, 3.01; P = .025).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective analysis of 234 patients with cT3-T4 anyN M0 lower rectal cancer who underwent CRT (5-fluorouracil-based oral chemotherapy and long course radiation) followed by radical surgery.

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Disclosures: This study was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Abe S et al. Int J Clin Oncol. 2021 Nov 6. doi: 10.1007/s10147-021-02062-z.