LB101 - IDENTIFYING AND ASSESSING SARCOPENIA BY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN MALNOURISHED PATIENTS WITH LOCALLY ADVANCED HEAD AND NECK CANCER: PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS

LB101

IDENTIFYING AND ASSESSING SARCOPENIA BY COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN MALNOURISHED PATIENTS WITH LOCALLY ADVANCED HEAD AND NECK CANCER: PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS

B. GONZALEZ AGUILERA^1,*, M. Á. González Ruiz², M. Galindo Gallardo¹, J. Pachón Ibáñez², M. Laínez López¹

¹Endocrinology and Nutrition service Virgen Macarena Hospital, ²Radiotherapy Oncology Service Virgen Macarena Hospital, Seville, Spain

Rationale: Early identification of sarcopenia (SP) in head and neck cancer (HNC) is crucial to optimize treatment and prognosis. Computerized tomography (CT)-derived skeletal muscle index (SMI) has been proposed as a marker, though evidence remains limited. This study evaluates muscle status evolution in patients receiving muscle-targeted nutritional support, based on CT-derived SMI.

Methods: A baseline analysis of this observational study was conducted in HNC patients malnourished or at risk (MUST>2 & ≥1 GLIM phenotypic/etiologic criterion), requiring radiotherapy (RT). Before RT (2-3 weeks): patients received dietary counselling and started high whey protein, high-calorie oral nutritional supplements (ONS), enriched with leucine and vitamin D for 6 months. Sociodemographic, clinical, nutritional, and functional variables were collected by physicians at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 at the same time points. SP is defined by SMI values (cm²/m²): ≤53 (males) and 41 (females). Descriptive analysis (40% target sample) was performed using STATA v.14.

Results: Nineteen patients (63.2% male), mean age 64.2±5.2 years, were included. GLIM criteria for severe malnutrition were met in 21.1% of patients. Most (74%) were stage IVa; oral cavity and oropharynx were the most frequent tumor sites. Radical RT with chemotherapy was the main treatment. Mean handgrip strength was 29.3 ±7.3 kg (males) and 15.6±6.1 kg (females); 52.6% had low grip strength. Mean SMI was 50.4±9.5 cm²/m² (males) and 44.8±7.4 cm²/m² (females), indicating SP in over 50%. Mean QLQ-C30 score was 74.5±24.0.

Conclusion: CT-derived SMI identified a relatively high prevalence of SP. It may be a valuable tool for detection and monitoring. Muscle-targeted nutritional support appears essential to improve nutritional status, function, and quality of life.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared