Association of Sarcopenia With Oncologic Outcomes of Primary Surgery or Definitive Radiotherapy Among Patients With Localized Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Importance: The negative association of low lean muscle mass (sarcopenia) with survival outcomes in head and neck cancers, including oropharyngeal carcinoma, is established. However, it is not known whether the choice of primary treatment modality (surgery or radiotherapy) is associated with oncologic outcomes of patients with sarcopenia and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Objective: To examine whether primary surgical resection or definitive radiotherapy is associated with improved survival for patients with sarcopenia and localized OPSCC. Design, Setting, and Participants: A cohort study was conducted of patients with clinically staged T1 to T2, N0 to N2 OPSCC with cross-sectional abdominal imaging within 60 days prior to treatment and treated between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2017. Skeletal muscle mass was measured at the third lumbar vertebra using previously defined techniques and sarcopenia was defined as less than 52.4 cm2/m2 of muscle for men and less than 38.5 cm2/m2 for women. In addition, associated patient demographic characteristics, cancer data, treatment information, and survival outcomes were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed from December 3, 2018, to August 28, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were overall survival and disease-specific survival. Results: Among the 245 patients who met study inclusion criteria, 209 were men (85.3%) and the mean (SD) age was 62.3 (7.8) years. Sarcopenia was detected in 135 patients (55.1%), while normal skeletal muscle mass was detected in 110 patients (44.9%). For the 110 patients without sarcopenia, primary treatment modality was not associated with improved survival. For patients with sarcopenia at diagnosis, primary surgical resection was associated with improved overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.37; 95% CI, 0.17-0.82) and disease-specific survival (HR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.07-0.68). This association persisted after propensity score matching, as up-front surgery was associated with improved overall survival (HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.12-0.91) and disease-specific survival (HR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.04-0.75) survival. Conclusions and Relevance: This study suggests that sarcopenia has a negative association with survival for patients with OPSCC. Primary surgery and radiotherapy confer similar survival associations for patients with normal skeletal muscle mass and localized OPSCC. However, up-front surgical resection may be associated with improved survival outcomes for patients with sarcopenia.

Association Between Sarcopenia and Mortality in Patients Undergoing Surgical Excision of Head and Neck Cancer.

Importance: Sarcopenia, or the loss of muscle mass, is associated with poor treatment outcomes in a variety of surgical fields. However, the association between sarcopenia and long-term survival in a broad cohort of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) is unknown. Objective: To determine whether sarcopenia is associated with long-term survival in patients undergoing major head and neck surgery for HNC. Design, Setting, and Participants: A retrospective medical records review was conducted at a tertiary care academic hospital. Two hundred sixty patients undergoing major head and neck ablative procedures with cross-sectional abdominal imaging performed within 45 days prior to surgery were included in the analysis. The study was conducted from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2016. Data analysis was performed from June 1, 2018, to February 28, 2019. Interventions: Measurement of cross-sectional muscle area at the L3 vertebra level. Main Outcomes and Measures: Two- and 5-year overall survival were the primary outcomes. Results: Of the 260 patients included in the study, 193 were men (74.2%); mean (SD) age was 61.1 (11) years. Sarcopenia was present in 144 patients (55.4%). Two-year overall survival was 71.9% of the patients (n = 82) in the sarcopenia group compared with 88.5% of the patients (n = 85) in the nonsarcopenia group (odds ratio [OR], 0.33; 95% CI, 0.16-0.70). At 5 years, overall survival was 36.5% in patients (n = 23) with sarcopenia and 60.5% in patients (n = 26) without sarcopenia (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.17-0.84). On multivariate analysis, sarcopenia was a significant negative predictor of both 2-year (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.14-0.77) and 5-year (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.17-0.84) overall survival. Conclusions and Relevance: Sarcopenia appears to be a significant negative predictor of long-term overall survival in patients with HNC undergoing major head and neck surgery. Sarcopenia may be accurately assessed on cross-sectional imaging and may be useful clinically as a prognostic variable and as an area for intervention to improve treatment outcomes.