Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Reitbauer, V.
PANCREATIC CANCER IN THE ELDERLY: SARCOPENIA AS A PREDICTIVE FACTOR.
A retrospective study.
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Medizinische Universität Graz; 2023. pp.
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- Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz:
- Betreuer*innen:
- Kornprat Peter
- Wienerroither Valerie Fanny
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- A growing number of studies focusses on the impact of sarcopenia on postoperative outcome. Sarcopenia is considered a risk factor for increased rates of complications and mortality following different kinds of surgery. This study evaluates a possible relationship between sarcopenia and postoperative survival in patients with pancreatic cancer which is a highly malignant disease with notably poor survival rates. Survival data of 206 patients who underwent resection of pancreatic cancer at the Department of Surgery at the LKH-Univ. Klinikum Graz was analyzed. Only patients who were treated with curative intent were included in the study. Skeletal muscle index measured at the level of the L3 vertebra (L3SMI) was chosen as a marker for sarkopenia and calculated using preoperative CT scans. The lowest sex-specific quartile of L3SMI was defined as sarcopenic. Survival analysis was conducted for 12 and 36 months following surgery using the Kaplan-Meier method. Statistical analysis showed that postoperative 1-year survival rates were lower in the sarcopenia group (58.9 % vs. 72.6 %). Survival analysis was also performed separated by sex. The difference in 1-year survival rates was even larger in men (55.4 % in the sarcopenic vs. 73.6 % in the non-sarcopenic group). However, none of these findings reached statistical significance (p = 0.13 for both sexes and p = 0.1 for men). There was no difference in postoperative 3-year survival between sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic individuals. Survival following surgery for pancreatic cancer is influenced by several factors. The results of the present study suggest that there might be an association between sarcopenia and poorer postoperative survival which is sex-dependent and decreases with growing distance from surgery.