Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026

High-Throughput Dissociation and Orthotopic Implantation of Breast Cancer Patient-Derived Xenografts
Published on: December 20, 2024
Lean body mass wasting and toxicity in early breast cancer patients receiving anthracyclines
Federica Mazzuca1,2, Concetta Elisa Onesti1,3, Michela Roberto1,2
1Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Background:
Sarcopenia refers to the reduction of both volume and number of skeletal muscle fibers. Lean body mass loss is associated with survival, quality of life and tolerance to treatment in cancer patients. The aim of our study is to analyse the association between toxicities and sarcopenia in early breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant treatment.
Materials And Methods:
Breast cancer patients who have received anthracycline-based adjuvant treatment were retrospectively enrolled. CT scan images performed before, during and after adjuvant chemotherapy were used to evaluate lean body mass at third lumbar vertebra level with the software Slice Omatic V 5.0.
Results:
21 stage I-III breast cancer patients were enrolled. According to the skeletal muscle index at third lumbar vertebra cut-off ≤38.5 cm2/m2, 8 patients (38.1%) were classified as sarcopenic before starting treatment, while 10 patients (47.6%) were sarcopenic at the end of treatment. A lower baseline L3 skeletal muscle index is associated with G3-4 vs G0-2 toxicities (33.4 cm2/m2 (31.1-39.9) vs 40.5 cm2/m2 (33.4-52.0), p = 0.028). Similarly skeletal muscle cross sectional area was significantly lower in patients with G3-4 toxicities (86.7 cm2 (82.6-104.7) vs 109.0 cm2 (83.3-143.9), p = 0.017). L3 skeletal muscle index is an independent predictor of severe toxicity (p = 0.0282) in multivariate analysis.
Conclusion:
Lean body mass loss is associated with higher grade of toxicity in early breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.
Related Concept Videos
Reduced Mass Coordinates: Isolated Two-body Problem
Receiver Operating Characteristic Plot
Atomic Mass
Molar Mass
Toxic Reactions: Overview
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Body Temperature

