Impact of Skeletal Muscle Measurements by Chest Computed Tomography on Survival and Postoperative Complications in Patients with Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate whether sarcopenia, measured by chest computed tomography (CT), affects survival outcomes and postoperative complications in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients undergoing surgery. In this retrospective study, CT scans of 79 patients were reviewed to measure pectoralis and T12 vertebra muscle area. Both were then adjusted for height (cm²/m²) as pectoralis muscle index (PMI) and T12 vertebra muscle index (TMI). Analyses were performed by dichotomizing muscle indices at gender-specific 50th percentile; PMI and TMI < 50th percentile were defined as low, and ≥50th percentile as high. Overall postsurgical complication rate (PCR) was 16%. Median length of hospital stay (LOHS) was 10 days (3–90). PMI and TMI were significantly lower in women (p = 0.02, p = 0.04). Median body mass index was significantly higher in high PMI and TMI groups (p = 0.01 for both). PCR and LOHS were similar between low and high PMI and TMI groups. Median follow-up was 29 months, 37 patients had recurrence and 23 died. No significant difference was noted between low and high PMI and TMI groups, in terms of disease-free or overall survival. PMI and TMI as measured by chest CT had no impact on survival outcomes or postoperative complications in localized STS.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [T.A.T.], upon reasonable request.

Disclosure Statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Ethics Committee Approval

Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Marmara University (Date of approval: 5 February 2021, Protocol Code: 09.2021.169).

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.