Re. “Association between low muscle mass and survival in incurable cancer patients: A systematic review”

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Vol. 81; p. 111005
• Main Authors: Gonzalez, M. Cristina, Caan, Bette, Prado, Carla M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-01-2021; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Bias; Cancer; Heterogeneity; Humans; Muscles; Neoplasms; Regression analysis; Survival; Systematic review
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2020.111005

Due to heterogeneity of the studies included (several of which were also substantially underpowered), it is difficult to summarize these data collectively. [...]we cannot rule out that LMM is in fact related to poorer survival among those with incurable cancer. Three studies [8–10] used cut points based on appendicular lean mass index <2 SD from a healthy reference population, an approach known to lead to significantly fewer patients identified as having LMM compared with CT-derived cut points. If we minimize the heterogeneity of cut points and examine three studies that used the same cut points (38.5 cm2/m2 for women and 52.4 cm2/m2 for men) and also performed a similar analyses (multivariate cox regression), all three studies found an increased risk for poorer survival associated with LMM; albeit one was non-significant [6], the second was borderline significant [7], and third was significant [4].