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Abstract & Commentary
By William B. Ershler, MD, Editor
Synopsis: Oncologists are aware of the importance of obesity in both the risk for developing cancer and in shortened survival among cancer patients. Recently, there has been an increased awareness of a similar pattern of risk among individuals with reduced muscle mass. Patients with both expanded fat mass and reduced lean body mass (sarcopenia) are likely to be at greatest risk. In the current report, Prado and colleagues from Edmonton, Alberta define parameters for such a cohort using data from abdominal CT in addition to the standard determinants of obesity. Of 2115 cancer patients, approximately 15% met criteria for obesity, and of these obese cancer patients, 15% also met criteria for sarcopenia. These individuals were shown to have a very high risk for poor functional status and reduced overall survival.
Source: Prado CM, Prevalence and clinical implications of sarcopenic obesity in patients with solid tumors of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts: a population-based study. Lancet Oncol. 2008;9:629-635.
The presence of obesity in individuals with reduced lean body mass (sarcopenic obesity) is predictive of morbidity and mortality in non-malignant disease 1 and also toxicity to chemotherapy. 2 In the current report, Prado and colleagues from Edmonton, Alberta, describe the effect of sarcopenic obesity on treatment outcome of patients with respiratory and gastrointestinal cancers.
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