Background: We assessed a wide array of body composition parameters to identify those most relevant as prognostic tools for patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) due to bladder cancer (BC).
Methods: In this retrospective, single-center study, preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans of 657 patients were measured at the level of the 3rd lumbar vertebra (L3) to determine common body composition indices including sarcopenia, myosteatosis, psoas muscle index (PMI), subcutaneous and visceral fat index (SFI and VFI), visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio (VSR), and visceral obesity. Predictors of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were identified in univariate and multivariate survival analysis.
Results: Sarcopenia and a low PMI were independently associated with shorter OS (Sarcopenia: HR 1.30; 95% CI 1.02-1.66; p = 0.04 and a low PMI: HR 1.32; 95% CI 1.02-1.70; p = 0.03) and CSS (Sarcopenia: HR 1.64; 95% CI 1.19-2.25; p < 0.01 and a low PMI: HR 1.41; 95% CI 1.02-1.96; p = 0.04). Myosteatosis, measured as decreasing average Hounsfield units of skeletal muscle, was an independent risk factor for OS (HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.97-1.00; p = 0.01) and CSS (HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.96-1.00; p < 0.05). The assessed adipose tissue indices were not significant predictors for OS and CSS.
Conclusions: Sarcopenia, a low PMI, and myosteatosis are independent predictors for OS and CSS in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.
Keywords: bladder cancer; body composition; cachexia; cystectomy; sarcopenia; urothelial carcinoma.