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Body composition alterations in patients with lung cancer
Deena B Snoke1, Gary S Atwood2, Emma R Bellefleur1
1Department of Medicine, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States.
American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology
|January 31, 2025
Summary
Cancer cachexia (CC) causes muscle and fat wasting in lung cancer patients. This review highlights longitudinal body composition changes, noting more severe muscle loss in males and the need for sex-based research.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Human Physiology
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Cancer cachexia (CC) is a prevalent syndrome in lung cancer patients, characterized by skeletal muscle and adipose tissue wasting.
- Existing research on body composition changes in lung cancer is largely cross-sectional, limiting understanding of longitudinal dynamics.
- Few studies have longitudinally assessed body composition changes specifically within the lung cancer population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on longitudinal body composition changes in lung cancer patients.
- To identify factors influencing muscle and adipose tissue wasting, with a focus on biological sex.
- To highlight gaps in research and suggest future directions for understanding and treating lung cancer cachexia.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 32 longitudinal studies measuring body composition.
- Inclusion of studies using computed tomography, bioelectrical impedance, dual X-ray absorptiometry, or total body nitrogen.
- Analysis of data from 3,951 lung cancer patients (35% female) undergoing treatment.
Main Results:
- Most studies reported decreased skeletal muscle mass, with more pronounced wasting observed in males.
- Increased myosteatosis (fat infiltration in muscle) was noted in a majority of studies reporting muscle density.
- Adiposity changes were less frequently reported, but wasting appeared more common in later stages of the disease.
Conclusions:
- Longitudinal data reveal significant muscle wasting in lung cancer patients, with sex-based differences.
- Further research is required to fully characterize adipose tissue changes throughout the lung cancer continuum.
- Balanced sex representation in studies and sex-specific analyses are crucial for developing effective treatments for cancer cachexia.
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