Sarcopenia and Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Geriatrics
• Metabolism

Background:

• Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are uncommon cancers comprising well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (NECs).
• Sarcopenia diagnosis requires assessing both low muscle strength and low muscle quantity or quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize existing literature on sarcopenia prevalence in patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs).

Main Methods:

• Literature search for studies investigating muscle strength and quantity in NENs patients.
• Analysis of methodologies, patient populations, and timing of assessments across included studies.

Main Results:

• Limited evidence exists for sarcopenia in NETs patients, with five studies showing low muscle strength or quantity using diverse methods.
• Only two studies addressed sarcopenia in NECs, primarily involving mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MiNEN), complicating direct interpretation for NEC.
• Current findings on sarcopenia in NENs require cautious interpretation due to heterogeneity in research approaches.

Conclusions:

• Sarcopenia is a potential concern in neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) patients.
• Significant heterogeneity in study methodologies, patient cohorts, and assessment timing hinders definitive conclusions.
• Future research should prioritize standardized techniques, homogenous populations, and consistent assessment time points for reliable sarcopenia evaluation in NENs.