The implications of sarcopenia in the treatment and prognosis of pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Sarcopenia is the subclinical loss of skeletal muscle and strength and has been extensively studied in both cancer and surgical patients. Patients with sarcopenia are particularly vulnerable to major physiological stressors including surgery and surgical complications. Sarcopenia has thus gained significant recognition as an important prognostic factor for both complications and survival in cancer patients. The aim of this review was to evaluate the current literature on the effect of sarcopenia on the treatment and prognosis of pancreatic cancer. The prevalence of sarcopenia in pancreatic cancer patients range between 20 and 65% due to the heterogeneous groups of patients, difference in disease stage, and the different methods of measuring sarcopenia. Sarcopenia would be more accurately assessed by utilizing both imaging and clinical data, such as frailty. Although malnutrition could be responsible for the attenuated healing process of pancreatic anastomosis the relationship between sarcopenia and outcome following pancreaticoduodenectomy is debated. Most studies showed a higher risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula formation in patients with concurrent sarcopenia and high fat mass (sarcopenic obesity). Sarcopenia seems generally to be associated with lower survival. The assessment of sarcopenia can therefore lead to changes in management strategy, patient selection, and improved informed consent prior to surgical resection of pancreatic cancer. An improved prediction of clinically relevant pancreatic fistula formation after pancreatic surgery using preoperative computed tomography scan, including a fistula risk score using sarcopenic obesity and subcutaneous fat area will be useful. Although treatment for sarcopenia still remains an area of research a protocol to improve nutrition and fitness preoperatively may improve sarcopenia and surgical outcome.