The prognostic value of a low skeletal mass index (SMI) has been investigated in locally advanced oesophageal (LAE) cancer at diagnosis. However, nothing is known about its evolution and clinical impact between initial diagnosis and recurrence. | Zouhry et al. BMC Cancer 2021 21 1313 https s12885-021-09037-3 RESEARCH Open Access Degradation of skeletal mass in locally advanced oesophageal cancer between initial diagnosis and recurrence Yacine Zouhry1 Abdelkader Taibi2 Sylvaine Durand Fontanier2 Tiffany Darbas1 Geraud Forestier3 Jacques Monteil4 Valérie Lebrun Ly1 Philippe Fayemendy5 6 Sophie Leobon1 Pierre Jesus1 and Elise Deluche1 Abstract Background The prognostic value of a low skeletal mass index SMI has been investigated in locally advanced oesophageal LAE cancer at diagnosis. However nothing is known about its evolution and clinical impact between initial diagnosis and recurrence. Methods A total of 89 patients treated for LAE cancer between January 2009 and December 2019 were included in this study. Computed tomography CT scans before treatment and at recurrence were evaluated. SMI and other body composition parameters were analysed by the L3 scan method. Results Participants were aged 86 years. The incidence of low SMI increased by between diagnosis and recurrence vs. respectively over a median follow-up of months. Patients with high SMI at diagnosis showed loss of muscle mass vs. cm2 m2 respectively P Zouhry et al. BMC Cancer 2021 21 1313 Page 2 of 10 Sarcopenia is characterised by a loss of skeletal mus- Methods cle mass SMM skeletal muscle strength and physical Study population performance in quantitative and qualitative terms as All consecutive patients treated for locally advanced well as in anatomical and functional terms 8 . It was oesophageal cancer diagnosed at Limoges University previously shown that assessment of SMM using the Hospital Limoges France between January 2009 and cross-sectional area of a single vertebral slice at lum- December 2019 were initially included in this study. bar L3 thanks computed tomography CT scan is well Among only patients 18 years with confirmed diag- correlated with whole-body skeletal muscle
