Preoperative Masseter Muscle Sarcopenia Predicts Mortality in Patients With Oesophageal Cancer

Abstract

Background/aim: The impact of masseter muscle sarcopenia on the prognosis of patients with oesophageal cancer after oesophagectomy remains unclear.

Patients and methods: We retrospectively analysed data from 70 patients with oesophageal cancer who underwent oesophagectomy between 2013 and 2019. Overall survival and disease-free survival rates were analysed using Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier curves with the log-rank test.

Results: Masseter muscle sarcopenia was diagnosed in 36 patients. Multivariate analysis identified cytokeratin 19 fragment >1.1 (p=0.04); stage II, III, and IV cancer (p=0.01); and masseter muscle sarcopenia (p<0.01) as significant independent predictors of disease-free survival. Stage II, III, and IV cancer (p<0.01); masseter muscle sarcopenia (p<0.01); and postoperative pneumonia (p<0.01) were significant independent predictors of overall survival.

Conclusion: Preoperative masseter muscle sarcopenia could be a strong predictor of long-term outcomes in patients who undergo oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer.

Keywords: Oesophageal cancer; masseter muscle; prognosis; psoas muscle; sarcopenia.