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Updated: Jan 10, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advanced Ex Vivo Model for Investigating Cancer-Adipose Microenvironment Interaction
Published on: January 26, 2024
Association Between Adipose Tissue Distribution and Survival in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Patients Treated With
Simay Cokgezer1, Muhammet Senkal2, Aysel Safaraliyeva2
1Department of Medical Oncology, Istanbul University Institute of Oncology, Istanbul, Turkey.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of visceral, subcutaneous and intermuscular adipose tissue areas measured by computed tomography at diagnosis on survival in ovarian cancer patients receiving second-line bevacizumab treatment.
Materials And Methods:
This retrospective study included 41 ovarian cancer patients who received second-line bevacizumab treatment at Istanbul University Oncology Institute between 2009 and 2024. Visceral, subcutaneous and intermuscular adipose tissue areas at the L3 and T12 vertebral levels were measured from the computed tomography images of the patients at the time of diagnosis, and these areas were normalized by the square of body height and index values (cm2/m2) were calculated. The effect of adipose tissue parameters on overall survival and disease-free survival was analyzed.
Results:
In multivariate analysis, only subcutaneous adipose tissue at the T12 level was found to be an independent predictor of overall survival. Subgroup analyses also showed that survival was significantly shorter in patients with low subcutaneous fat area or index. Similarly, low body mass index was also associated with unfavorable survival outcomes. Visceral and intermuscular adipose tissue parameters had no significant effect on survival.
Conclusion:
Subcutaneous adipose tissue measured by diagnostic computed tomography may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in ovarian cancer patients. These findings support the integration of body composition analysis into clinical decision-making processes.
