Sarcopenia in patients with cancer is associated with adverse outcomes such as shorter survival. However, there exists little evidence regarding the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs). Patients with a histologically confirmed newly diagnosed metastatic GEP-NET between 2006 and 2018, CT scan, and anthropometric data at diagnosis were included in this study. CT scans were analysed for the presence of sarcopenia and correlated with overall survival (OS). In total, 183 patients, 87 male (48%), with a median age of 62 years (IQR 52-68 years), were included. In 44 patients (24%), there was a pancreas NET, and in 136 patients, there was a small bowel NET (74%). Sarcopenia was present in 128 patients (69%) and unrelated to BMI (median 25.1). There were significant survival differences between patients with pancreatic and small bowel NETs at 86 vs. 141 months, respectively (p = 0.04). For patients with pancreatic NETs, the presence of sarcopenia was independently associated with shorter OS (HR 3.79 95% CI 1.1-13.03, p-value 0.035). A high prevalence of sarcopenia at the time of diagnosis of a metastatic GEP-NET was seen and associated with worse OS in patients with pancreatic NETs. Further research should focus on how to reverse sarcopenia and its impact on OS and/or quality of life.
Keywords: GEP-NET; nutritional status; sarcopenia; survival.