SynthesisBMC cancer2025
Low L3 skeletal muscle index and endometrial cancer: a statistic pooling analysis.
Synthesis in BMC cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- From neck to abdomen: cervical (C3) muscle quantification as a surrogate to lumbar (L3) sarcopenia assessment in head and neck cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis.Skeletal radiology · 2026Pooled it
- Highlighting sarcopenia management in cancer treatments: evidence from umbrella meta-analysis.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- Impact of data augmentation size on deep learning-based third lumbar vertebra computed tomography skeletal muscle segmentation performance.Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery · 2026Article
- Updated ESUR Guidelines for Endometrial Cancer: integrating MRI with the 2023 FIGO Staging Revolution.European radiology · 2026Review
- Cachexia and Wasting in Chronic Illness: Regulatory and Clinical Trial Update.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveSarcopenia, a condition characterized by the gradual decline of muscle mass, strength, and function, is a key indicator of malnutrition in cancer patients and has been linked to poor prognoses in oncology. Sarcopenia is commonly assessed by measuring the skeletal muscle index (SMI) of the third lumbar spine (L3) using computed tomography (CT). This meta-analysis aimed to explore the relationship between low SMI and clinicopathological features, as well as prognosis, in individuals with endometrial cancer (EC).
methodsData from various databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Medline, and Web of Science were searched up until October 20th, 2024. Studies that investigated the association of low SMI and EC survival or clinicopathological characteristics were included. Pooled effect sizes were reported as hazards ratio (HR), odds ratios (ORs) or weighted mean difference (WMD). The quality and risk of bias in the studies were evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the Quality In Prognosis Studies (QUIPS), and the study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024509949) before commencing the search.
resultsA total of 218 studies were identified across all five databases, with 11 studies meeting the criteria for qualitative and quantitative analysis, involving 1588 patients. The findings of our meta-analysis demonstrated a significant link between low SMI and progression-free survival [P = 0.002; HR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.20-2.17]. Low SMI was also associated with a BMI < 25 (P < 0.00001; OR: 4.55, 95% CI: 3.01-6.87), FIGO stage (P = 0.04; OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.01-1.75), pathology grades (P = 0.001; OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.26-2.49), and the endometrioid pathological type (P = 0.01; OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51-0.92). However, no significant correlation was found between low SMI and 5-year overall survival, serous pathological type, recurrence, length of hospital stay, intraoperative complications, and postoperative complications. All the included studies scored ≥ 7 on the NOS, indicating relatively high-quality evidence.
conclusionsThe meta-analysis highlighted the association between low SMI and unfavorable clinical features and outcomes in EC patients, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate management of sarcopenia assessed by low SMI to enhance prognoses in EC patients.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.