Evaluation of a fully automated computed tomography image segmentation method for fast and accurate body composition measurements.

INTRODUCTION: Body composition evaluation can be used to assess patients' nutritional status to predict clinical outcomes. To facilitate reliable and time-efficient body composition measurements eligible for clinical practice, fully automated computed tomography segmentation methods were developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate automated segmentation by Data Analysis Facilitation Suite in an independent dataset. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative computed tomography images were used of 165 patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy from 2014 to 2019. Manual and automated measurements of skeletal muscle mass (SMM), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) were performed at the third lumbar vertebra. Segmentation accuracy of automated measurements was assessed using the Jaccard index and intra-class correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Automatic segmentation provided accurate measurements compared to manual analysis, resulting in Jaccard score coefficients of 94.9 for SMM, 98.4 for VAT, 99.1 for SAT, and 79.4 for IMAT. Intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from 0.98 to 1.00. Automated measurements on average overestimated SMM and SAT areas compared to manual analysis, with mean differences (±2 standard deviations) of 1.10 (-1.91 to 4.11) and 1.61 (-2.26 to 5.48) respectively. For VAT and IMAT, automated measurements on average underestimated the areas with mean differences of -1.24 (-3.35 to 0.87) and -0.93 (-5.20 to 3.35), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Commercially available Data Analysis Facilitation Suite provides similar results compared to manual measurements of body composition at the level of third lumbar vertebra. This software provides accurate and time-efficient body composition measurements, which is necessary for implementation in clinical practice.

Perioperative Factors Associated With Postoperative Delirium in Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common and serious complication after surgery. Various predisposing factors are associated with POD, but their magnitude and importance using an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis have not been assessed. Objective: To identify perioperative factors associated with POD and assess their relative prognostic value among adults undergoing noncardiac surgery. Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL from inception to May 2020. Study Selection: Studies were included that (1) enrolled adult patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, (2) assessed perioperative risk factors for POD, and (3) measured the incidence of delirium (measured using a validated approach). Data were analyzed in 2020. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Individual patient data were pooled from 21 studies and 1-stage meta-analysis was performed using multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression after a multivariable imputation via chained equations model to impute missing data. Main Outcomes and Measures: The end point of interest was POD diagnosed up to 10 days after a procedure. A wide range of perioperative risk factors was considered as potentially associated with POD. Results: A total of 192 studies met the eligibility criteria, and IPD were acquired from 21 studies that enrolled 8382 patients. Almost 1 in 5 patients developed POD (18%), and an increased risk of POD was associated with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status 4 (odds ratio [OR], 2.43; 95% CI, 1.42-4.14), older age (OR for 65-85 years, 2.67; 95% CI, 2.16-3.29; OR for >85 years, 6.24; 95% CI, 4.65-8.37), low body mass index (OR for body mass index <18.5, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.64-3.09), history of delirium (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 2.69-5.66), preoperative cognitive impairment (OR, 3.99; 95% CI, 2.94-5.43), and preoperative C-reactive protein levels (OR for 5-10 mg/dL, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.59-3.50; OR for >10 mg/dL, 3.56; 95% CI, 2.46-5.17). Completing a college degree or higher was associated with a decreased likelihood of developing POD (OR 0.45; 95% CI, 0.28-0.72). Conclusions and Relevance: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data, several important factors associated with POD were found that may help identify patients at high risk and may have utility in clinical practice to inform patients and caregivers about the expected risk of developing delirium after surgery. Future studies should explore strategies to reduce delirium after surgery.

Impact of sarcopenia on clinical outcomes for patients with resected hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective comparison of Eastern and Western cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Patient fitness is important for guiding treatment. Muscle mass, as a reflection thereof, can be objectively measured. However, the role of East-West differences remains unclear. Therefore, we compared the impact of muscle mass on clinical outcomes after liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a Dutch [the Netherlands (NL)] and Japanese [Japan (JP)] setting and evaluated the predictive performance of different cutoff values for sarcopenia. METHOD: In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, patients with HCC undergoing liver resection were included. The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was determined on computed tomography scans obtained within 3 months before surgery. The primary outcome measure was overall survival (OS). Secondary outcome measures were: 90-day mortality, severe complications, length of stay, and recurrence-free survival. The predictive performance of several sarcopenia cutoff values was studied using the concordance index (C-index) and area under the curve. Interaction terms were used to study the geographic effect modification of muscle mass. RESULTS: Demographics differed between NL and JP. Gender, age, and body mass index were associated with SMI. Significant effect modification between NL and JP was found for BMI. The predictive performance of sarcopenia for both short-term and long-term outcomes was higher in JP compared to NL (maximum C-index: 0.58 vs. 0.55, respectively). However, differences between cutoff values were small. For the association between sarcopenia and OS, a strong association was found in JP [hazard ratio (HR) 2.00, 95% CI [1.230-3.08], P =0.002], where this was not found in NL (0.76 [0.42-1.36], P =0.351). The interaction term confirmed that this difference was significant (HR 0.37, 95% CI [0.19-0.73], P =0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The impact of sarcopenia on survival differs between the East and West. Clinical trials and treatment guidelines using sarcopenia for risk stratification should be validated in race-dependent populations prior to clinical adoption.

Circulating tumour DNA as biomarker for rectal cancer: A systematic review and meta-analyses.

Background: Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) has been established as a promising (prognostic) biomarker with the potential to personalise treatment in cancer patients. The objective of this systematic review is to provide an overview of the current literature and the future perspectives of ctDNA in non-metastatic rectal cancer. Methods: A comprehensive search for studies published prior to the 4th of October 2022 was conducted in Embase, Medline, Cochrane, Google scholar, and Web of Science. Only peer-reviewed original articles and ongoing clinical trials investigating the association between ctDNA and oncological outcomes in non-metastatic rectal cancer patients were included. Meta-analyses were performed to pool hazard ratios (HR) for recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results: A total of 291 unique records were screened, of which 261 were original publications and 30 ongoing trials. Nineteen original publications were reviewed and discussed, of which seven provided sufficient data for meta-analyses on the association between the presence of post-treatment ctDNA and RFS. Results of the meta-analyses demonstrated that ctDNA analysis can be used to stratify patients into very high and low risk groups for recurrence, especially when detected after neoadjuvant treatment (HR for RFS: 9.3 [4.6 - 18.8]) and after surgery (HR for RFS: 15.5 [8.2 - 29.3]). Studies investigated different types of assays and used various techniques for the detection and quantification of ctDNA. Conclusions: This literature overview and meta-analyses provide evidence for the strong association between ctDNA and recurrent disease. Future research should focus on the feasibility of ctDNA-guided treatment and follow-up strategies in rectal cancer. A blueprint for agreed-upon timing, preprocessing, and assay techniques is needed to empower adaptation of ctDNA into daily practice.

Success, complication, and mortality rates of initial biliary drainage in patients with unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The patients with unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma require biliary drainage to relieve symptoms and allow for palliative systemic chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to establish the success, complication, and mortality rates of the initial biliary drainage in patients with unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma at presentation. METHODS: In this retrospective multicenter study, patients with unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma who underwent initial endoscopic or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage between 2002 and 2014 were included. The success of drainage was defined as a successful biliary stent or drain placement, no unscheduled reintervention within 14 days, and serum bilirubin levels <50 µmol/L (ie, 2.9 mg/dL) or a >50% decrease in serum bilirubin after 14 days. Severe complications, and 90-day mortality were recorded. RESULTS: Included were 186 patients: 161 (87%) underwent initial endoscopic biliary drainage and 25 (13%) underwent initial percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. The success of initial drainage was observed in 73 patients (45%) after endoscopic biliary drainage and 6 (24%) after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. The reasons for an unsuccessful initial drainage were: the failure to place a drain or stent in 39 patients (21%), an unplanned reintervention within 14 days in 52 patients (28%), and the bilirubin level >50 µmol/L (or not halved) after 14 days of initial drainage in 16 patients (9%). Severe drainage-related complications occurred in 19 patients (12%) after endoscopic biliary drainage and in 3 (12%) after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Overall, 66 patients (36%) died within 90 days after initial biliary drainage. CONCLUSION: Initial biliary drainage in patients with unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma had a success rate of 45% and a 90-day mortality rate of 36%. Future studies for patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma should focus on improving biliary drainage.

The Impact of Low Skeletal Muscle Mass on Short- and Long-Term Outcomes After Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a potentially curative treatment for peritoneal metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) or pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP). Because of the considerable morbidity of this treatment, optimal patient selection is key. This study aimed to assess the impact of low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) on outcomes after CRS-HIPEC. METHODS: Patients who underwent CRS-HIPEC between 2014 and 2020 at a tertiary center were included. SMM was measured on computed tomography by means of the L3 muscle index. Postoperative complications and survival outcomes were compared between groups by use of logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. RESULTS: Of 284 included patients, 149 had low SMM. Occurrence of severe postoperative complications did not differ between groups (28.9% for patients with low vs. 34.1% for patients with normal SMM). Low SMM was not associated with postoperative complications (p = 0.344). For CRC patients, no significant differences were observed in disease-free (DFS) or overall survival (OS) between patients with low (median DFS 7 months [IQR 4-14], median OS 33 months [IQR 14-NR]) and patients with normal SMM (median DFS 8 months [IQR 5-20], median OS 35 months [IQR 18-NR]). Regarding PMP, survival outcomes did not significantly differ between groups (3-year DFS 47.3% for patients with low SMM vs. 54.5% for patients with normal SMM, p = 0.676; 3-year OS 70.8% vs. 90.9% respectively, p = 0.172). CONCLUSIONS: Low SMM could not be identified as a predictor of severe complications or survival outcomes after CRS-HIPEC.

Absence of association between CT-assessed skeletal muscle mass and long-term oncological outcomes after curative therapy for colorectal liver metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is associated with impaired short- and long-term outcomes in gastrointestinal cancers. Whether sarcopenia is associated with impaired survival after local therapy of Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases (CRLM) remains controversial. This study aimed to determine the influence of sarcopenia on long-term outcomes after curative-intent therapy for CRLM. METHODS: Patients undergoing local therapy for CRLM between 2003 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed using the skeletal muscle index at the level of the third lumbar vertebra as an indicator of sarcopenia. Factors associated with overall (OS) and disease-free (DFS) survival were analyzed using univariable and multivariable cox regression. RESULTS: In total 213/465 patients (46%) were considered sarcopenic. Sarcopenic patients had no impaired 5-year OS or DFS compared to non-sarcopenic patients, 38% vs 44% (p = 0.153) and 19 vs 23% (p = 0.339) respectively. Sarcopenia was not associated with impaired OS (HR = 1.11, 95%CI = 0.85-1.46, p = 0.43) or DFS (HR = 0.99, 95%CI = 0.77-1.28, p = 0.96) in multivariable analysis. There were no significant differences in postoperative complications (p = 0.47), the incidence (p = 0.65) and treatment (p = 0.37) of recurrent metastases. Five-year OS after resection for recurrences was 14% (sarcopenic) and 22% (non-sarcopenic) p 0.716. CONCLUSION: Sarcopenia assessed by computed tomography was not associated with impaired survival outcomes in the group of CRLM patients overall.

High Systemic Immune Inflammation Index Is Associated With Low Skeletal Muscle Quantity in Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Background and Aims: Failing immune surveillance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is related to poor prognosis. PDAC is also characterized by its substantial alterations to patients' body composition. Therefore, we investigated associations between the host systemic immune inflammation response and body composition in patients with resected PDAC. Methods: Patients who underwent a pancreatectomy for PDAC between 2004 and 2016 in two tertiary referral centers were included. Skeletal muscle mass quantity and muscle attenuation, as well as subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue at the time of diagnosis, were determined by CT imaging measured transversely at the third lumbar vertebra level. Baseline clinicopathological characteristics, laboratory values including the systemic immune inflammation index (SIII), postoperative, and survival outcomes were collected. Results: A total of 415 patients were included, and low skeletal muscle mass quantity was found in 273 (65.7%) patients. Of the body composition indices, only low skeletal muscle mass quantity was independently associated with a high (≥900) SIII (OR 7.37, 95% CI 2.31-23.5, p=0.001). The SIII was independently associated with disease-free survival (HR 1.86, 95% CI 1.12-3.04), and cancer-specific survival (HR 2.21, 95% CI 1.33-3.67). None of the body composition indices were associated with survival outcomes. Conclusion: This study showed a strong association between preoperative low skeletal muscle mass quantity and elevated host systemic immune inflammation in patients with resected PDAC. Understanding how systemic inflammation may contribute to changes in body composition or whether reversing these changes may affect the host systemic immune inflammation response could expose new therapeutic possibilities for improving patients' survival outcomes.

Impact of muscle mass on survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation beyond the Milan criteria.

BACKGROUND: Access to the liver transplant waitlist for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) depends on tumour presentation, biology, and response to treatments. The Milan Criteria (MC) represent the benchmark for expanded criteria that incorporate additional prognostic factors. The purpose of this study was to determine the added value of skeletal muscle index (SMI) in HCC patients beyond the MC. METHOD: Patients with HCC that were transplanted beyond the MC were included in this retrospective multicentre study. SMI was quantified using the Computed Tomography (CT) within 3 months prior to transplantation. Cox regression models were used to identify predictors of overall survival (OS). The discriminative performance of SMI extended Metroticket 2.0 and AFP models was also assessed. RESULTS: Out of 889 patients transplanted outside the MC, 528 had a CT scan within 3 months prior to liver transplantation (LT), of whom 176 (33%) were classified as sarcopenic. The median time between assessment of the SMI and LT was 1.8 months (IQR: 0.77-2.67). The median follow-up period was 5.1 95% CI [4.7-5.5] years, with a total of 177 recorded deaths from any cause. In a linear regression model with SMI as the dependent variable, only male gender (8.55 95% CI [6.51-10.59], P < 0.001) and body mass index (0.74 95% CI [0.59-0.89], P < 0.001) were significant. Univariable survival analysis of patients with sarcopenia versus patients without sarcopenia showed a significant difference in OS (HR 1.44 95% CI [1.07 - 1.94], P = 0.018). Also the SMI was significant (HR 0.98 95% CI [0.96-0.99], P = 0.014). The survival difference between the lowest SMI quartile versus the highest SMI quartile was significant (log-rank: P = 0.005) with 5 year OS of 57% and 71%, respectively. Data from 423 patients, describing 139 deaths, was used for multivariate analysis. Both sarcopenia (HR 1.45 95% CI [1.02 - 2.05], P = 0.036) and SMI were (HR 0.98 95% CI [0.95-0.99], P = 0.035) significant. On the survival scale this translates to a 5 year OS difference of 11% between sarcopenia and no sarcopenia. Whereas for SMI, this translates to a survival difference of 8% between first and third quartiles for both genders. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we can conclude that higher muscle mass contributes to a better long-term survival. However, for individual patients, low muscle mass should not be considered an absolute contra-indication for LT as its discriminatory performance was limited.

Sarcopenia as a Predictor of Survival in Patients with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma After Pancreatectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sarcopenia can potentially predict worse survival after resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is correlated with poor outcomes in hepatopancreatobiliary malignancies, but the relationship of both its qualitative and quantitative features with patient survival after pancreatectomy has not been investigated in a western population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Preoperative cross-sectional computed tomography scans of consecutive patients who underwent pancreatectomy in 2005-2017 were evaluated for skeletal muscle index (SMI), intramuscular adipose tissue content (IMAC), and visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue area ratio (VSR). Sex-specific categorical cut-offs were determined. Findings were correlated with outcome. RESULTS: The study included 111 patients, 47% of whom were female, with a median age of 67 years (range: 35-87 years), and median body mass index of 23 kg/m2 (range: 16-40 kg/m2); 77% had a Whipple procedure and 66% received adjuvant chemotherapy. Low SMI correlated with poor overall survival (OS) (P = 0.007), disease-specific survival (DSS) (P = 0.006), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (P = 0.01). High IMAC correlated with poor OS (P = 0.04). Patients with high IMAC tended to have a shorter DSS (P = 0.09), with no correlation with RFS (P = 0.6). VSR was not associated with survival. Multivariable analysis yielded an independent association of low SMI with OS (HR = 1.7, 95%CI: 1.1-2.8, P = 0.02), DSS (HR = 1.8, 95%CI: 1.03-3.2, P = 0.04), and RFS (HR = 1.8, 95%CI: 1.1-2.8, P = 0.01), and of high IMAC with OS (HR = 1.9, 95%CI: 1.1-3.1, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Both qualitative and quantitative measures of skeletal muscle were independently associated with impaired survival in patients with resectable PDAC. Sarcopenia might serve as an early radiographic surrogate of aggressive tumor behavior, with potential implications for clinical decision-making and future study.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of validated prognostic models for resected hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

BACKGROUND: Many prognostic models for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) have been developed to inform patients and doctors about individual prognosis. Previous reviews of these models were qualitative and did not assess performance at external validation. We assessed the performance of prognostic models for HCC and set a benchmark for biomarker studies. METHODS: All externally validated models predicting survival for patients with resected HCC were systematically reviewed. After selection, we extracted descriptive statistics and aggregated c-indices using meta-analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-eight validated prognostic models were included. Models used on average 7 (IQR:4-9) prognostic factors. Tumor size, tumor number, and vascular invasion were almost always included. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was commonly incorporated since 2007. Recently, the more subjective items ascites and encephalopathy have been dropped. Eight established models performed poor to moderate at external validation, with a pooled C-index below 0.7; including the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system, the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 7th edition, the Cancer of the Liver Italian (CLIP) Program, and the Japan Integrated Staging (JIS) score. Out of 24 prognostic models predicting OS, only 6 (25%) had good performance at external validation with pooled C-indices above 0.7; the Li-post (0.77), Li-OS (0.74), Yang-pre (0.74), Yang-post (0.76), Shanghai-score (0.70), and Wang-nomogram (0.71). Models improved over time, but overall performance and study quality remained low. CONCLUSIONS: Six validated prognostic models demonstrated good performance for predicting survival after resection of HCC. These models can guide patients and doctors and are a benchmark for future models incorporating novel biomarkers.

Sarcopenia and long-term survival outcomes after local therapy for colorectal liver metastasis: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is defined as either low pre-operative muscle mass or low muscle density on abdominal CT imaging. It has been associated with worse short-term outcomes after surgery for colorectal liver metastases. This study aimed to evaluate whether sarcopenia also impacts long-term survival outcomes in these patients. METHODS: A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included, ten reporting on the impact of low muscle mass and four on low muscle density. Sample sizes ranged between 47 and 539 (2124 patients in total). Altogether, 897 (42%) patients were considered sarcopenic, although definitions varied between studies. Median follow-up was 21-74 months. Low muscle mass (hazard ration (HR) 1.35, 95%CI 1.08-1.68) and low muscle density (HR 1.97, 95%CI 1.07-3.62) were associated with impaired OS. Low muscle mass (pooled HR 1.17, 95%CI 0.94-1.46) and low muscle density (pooled HR 1.13, 95%CI 0.85-1.50) were not associated with impaired RFS. DISCUSSION: Sarcopenia is associated with poorer OS, but not RFS, in patients with CRLM. Additional studies with standardized sarcopenia definitions are needed to better assess the impact of sarcopenia in patients with CRLM.

Impact of nutritional status and body composition on postoperative outcomes after pelvic exenteration for locally advanced and locally recurrent rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic exenteration for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) and locally recurrent (LRRC) rectal cancer provides radical resection and local control, but is associated with considerable morbidity. The aim of this study was to determine risk factors, including nutritional status and body composition, for postoperative morbidity and survival after pelvic exenteration in patients with LARC or LRRC. METHODS: Patients with LARC or LRRC who underwent total or posterior pelvic exenteration in a tertiary referral centre from 2003 to 2018 were analysed retrospectively. Nutritional status was assessed using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). Body composition was estimated using standard-of-care preoperative CT of the abdomen. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for complications with a Clavien-Dindo grade of III or higher. Risk factors for impaired overall survival were calculated using Cox proportional hazards analysis. RESULTS: In total, 227 patients who underwent total (111) or posterior (116) pelvic exenteration were analysed. Major complications (Clavien-Dindo grade at least III) occurred in 82 patients (36.1 per cent). High risk of malnutrition (MUST score 2 or higher) was the only risk factor for major complications (odds ratio 3.99, 95 per cent c.i. 1.76 to 9.02) in multivariable analysis. Mean follow-up was 44.6 months. LRRC (hazard ratio (HR) 1.61, 95 per cent c.i. 1.04 to 2.48) and lymphovascular invasion (HR 2.20, 1.38 to 3.51) were independent risk factors for impaired overall survival. CONCLUSION: A high risk of malnutrition according to the MUST is a strong risk factor for major complications in patients with LARC or LRRC undergoing exenteration surgery.

Actual survival after resection of primary colorectal cancer: results from a prospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the world. We characterize a cohort of patients who survived up to 5 years without recurrence and identify factors predicting the probability of cure. METHODS: We analyzed data of patients who underwent curative intent surgery for stage I-III CRC between 2007 and 2012 and who had had been included in a large multicenter study in the Netherlands. Cure was defined as 5-year survival without recurrence. Survival data were retrieved from a national registry. RESULTS: Analysis of data of 754 patients revealed a cure rate of 65% (n = 490). Patients with stage I disease and T1- and N0-tumor had the highest probability of cure (94%, 95% and 90%, respectively). Those with a T4-tumor or N2-tumor had the lowest probability of cure (62% and 50%, respectively). A peak in the mortality rate for older patients early in follow-up suggests early excess mortality as an explanation. A similar trend was observed for stage III disease, poor tumor grade, postoperative complications, sarcopenia, and R1 resections. Patients with stage III disease, poor tumor grade, postoperative complications, sarcopenia, and R1 resections show a similar trend for decrease in CSS deaths over time. CONCLUSION: In the studied cohort, the probability of cure for patients with stage I-III CRC ranged from 50 to 95%. Even though most patients will be cured from CRC with standard therapy, standard therapy is insufficient for those with poor prognostic factors, such as high T- and N-stage and poor differentiation grade.

Both muscle quantity and quality are predictors of waiting list mortality in patients with end-stage liver disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Malnutrition is highly prevalent in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) and associated with impaired clinical outcome. Previous studies focused on one component of body composition and not in combination with nutritional intake, while both are components of the nutritional status. We aimed to evaluate the most important risk factors regarding body composition (muscle mass, muscle quality and fat mass) and nutritional intake (energy and protein intake) for waiting list mortality in patients with ESLD awaiting liver transplantation (LTx). METHODS: Consecutive patients with ESLD listed for LTx between 2007 and 2014 were investigated. Muscle mass quantity (Skeletal Muscle Mass Index, SMI), and muscle quality (Muscle Attenuation, MA), and various body fat compartments were measured on computed tomography using SliceOmatic. Nutritional intake (e.g. energy and protein intake) was assessed. Multivariable stepwise forward Cox regression analysis was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 261 Patients (mean age 54 years, 74.7% male) were included. Low SMI and MA were found to be statistically significant predictors of an increased risk for waiting list mortality in patients with ESLD, with a HR of 2.580 (95%CI 1.055-6.308) and HR of 9.124 (95%CI 2.871-28.970), respectively. No association between percentage adipose tissue, and protein and energy intake with waiting list mortality was found in this study. CONCLUSION: Both low muscle quantity and quality, and not nutritional intake, were independent risk factors for mortality in patients with ESLD.

The Influence of Body Composition on the Systemic Exposure of Paclitaxel in Esophageal Cancer Patients.

Changes in body composition are associated with chemotherapy-related toxicities and effectiveness of treatment. It is hypothesized that the pharmacokinetics (PK) of chemotherapeutics may depend on body composition. The effects of body composition on the variability of paclitaxel PK were studied in patients with esophageal cancer. Skeletal muscle index (SMI), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and skeletal muscle density (SMD) were measured at the third lumbar vertebra on computed tomography (CT) scans performed before treatment. Paclitaxel PK data were collected from a prospective study performed between May 2004 and January 2014. Non-linear mixed-effects modeling was used to fit paclitaxel PK profiles and evaluate the covariates body surface area (BSA), SMI, VAT, and SMD using a significance threshold of p < 0.001. Paclitaxel was administered to 184 patients in a dose range of 50 to 175 mg/m2. Median BSA was 1.98 m2 (range of 1.4 to 2.8 m2). SMI, VAT, and SMD were not superior to BSA in predicting paclitaxel PK. The additive value of SMI, VAT, and SMD to BSA was also negligible. We did not find evidence that paclitaxel dosing could be further optimized by correcting for SMI, VAT, or SMD.

Quality and performance of validated prognostic models for survival after resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the performance of prognostic survival models for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) when validated in an external dataset. Furthermore, it sought to identify common prognostic factors across models, and assess methodological quality of the studies in which the models were developed. METHODS: The PRISMA guidelines were followed. External validation studies of prognostic models for patients with iCCA were searched in 5 databases. Model performance was assessed by discrimination and calibration. RESULTS: Thirteen external validation studies were identified, validating 18 different prognostic models. The Wang model was the sole model with good performance (C-index above 0.70) for overall survival. This model incorporated tumor size and number, lymph node metastasis, direct invasion into surrounding tissue, vascular invasion, Carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Methodological quality was poor in 11/12 statistical models. The Wang model had the highest score with 13 out of 17 points. CONCLUSION: The Wang model for prognosis after resection of iCCA has good quality and good performance at external validation, while most prognostic models for iCCA have been developed with poor methodological quality and show poor performance at external validation.