Sarcopenia Does Not Affect Survival or Outcomes in Soft-Tissue Sarcoma

Abstract

Background and Objective. Sarcopenia is associated with decreased survival and increased complications in carcinoma patients. We hypothesized that sarcopenic soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) patients would have decreased survival, increased incidence of wound complications, and increased length of postresection hospital stay (LOS). Methods. A retrospective, single-center review of 137 patients treated surgically for STS was conducted. Sarcopenia was assessed by measuring the cross-sectional area of bilateral psoas muscles (total psoas muscle area, TPA) at the level of the third lumbar vertebrae on a pretreatment axial computed tomography scan. TPA was then adjusted for height (cm2/m2). The association between height-adjusted TPA and survival was assessed using Cox proportional hazard model. A logistical model was used to assess the association between height-adjusted TPA and wound complications. A linear model was used to assess the association between height-adjusted TPA and LOS. Results. Height-adjusted TPA was not an independent predictor of overall survival (p=0.746). Patient age (p=0.02) and tumor size (p=0.009) and grade (p=0.001) were independent predictors of overall survival. Height-adjusted TPA was not a predictor of increased hospital LOS (p=0.66), greater incidence of postoperative infection (p=0.56), or other wound complications (p=0.14). Conclusions. Sarcopenia does not appear to impact overall survival, LOS, or wound complications in patients with STS.