Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40240716›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer research and clinical oncology2025

Different cutoff values of the skeletal muscle mass and myosteatosis result in different clinical impact on overall survival in oncology. A subanalysis of a clinical trial.

Alexey Surov, Maximilian Thormann, Andreas Wienke, Jens Ricke, Max Seidensticker

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Baseline body composition and early PRRT outcome in GEP-NETs: an exploratory analysis.European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging · 2026
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  5. In reply to Topkan et al.The oncologist · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Alexey Surov *Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine, Johannes Wesling University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
Maximilian Thormann *Department of Nuclear Medicine, Charité Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany. maximilian.thormann@charite.de.
Andreas Wienke *Institute of Medical Epidemiology, Biometry and Informatics, University of Halle, Halle, Germany.
Jens Ricke *Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.
Max Seidensticker *Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBody composition analysis, particularly the assessment of sarcopenia and myosteatosis, has emerged as a potential prognostic tool in oncology. However, the clinical implication of body composition parameters remains inconsistent, largely due to the variability in cutoff values used across studies. This study examines the influence on prevalence and prognostic influence of different cutoff values for sarcopenia and myosteatosis in patients in a standardized cohort from a large clinical trial (SORAMIC).

methodsThis study included 179 patients with unresectable liver cancer from the palliative arm of the SORAMIC trial. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) was calculated by measuring the cross-sectional area of skeletal muscle at the third lumbar vertebra (L3) on baseline CT scans. We then applied 14 published cutoff definitions for sarcopenia (SMI) and 7 for myosteatosis (muscle attenuation) to determine their prevalence in this cohort. Cox regression models were used to analyze the relationship between sarcopenia, myosteatosis, and OS.

resultsThe prevalence of sarcopenia ranged from 8.9% (Van der Werf et al.) to 69.8% (Lanic et al.). Overall, 3 of the 14 cutoffs [Van Vledder et al. (HR = 1.53, p = 0.03), Coelen et al. (HR = 1.46, p = 0.03), and Derstine et al. (HR = 1.47, p = 0.04)] showed a relevant association with OS. Other cut off values were not associated with OS. The prevalence of myosteatosis varied between 10.1% (Nachit et al.) and 53.1% (Zhang et al.). One of the 7 cutoffs (Chu et al.) demonstrated a relevant association with OS (HR = 1.53, p = 0.03).

conclusionThe large variability in prevalence and prognostic impact observed across different cutoff definitions underscores the urgent need for standardized, cancer-specific cutoff values for SMI and muscle attenuation. Establishing uniform criteria will enhance the reliability and clinical applicability of body composition metrics as prognostic tools in oncology. Further research should focus on refining these cutoffs and validating them across diverse cancer populations.

Indexed as

Liver NeoplasmsMuscle, SkeletalMuscular DiseasesSarcopeniaAgedBody CompositionFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalencePrognosisTomography, X-Ray ComputedMuscle attenuationMyosteatosisPrognosisSarcopeniaSkeletal Muscle Index (SMI)

Identifiers

PMID40240716
PMCPMC12003470

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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.