Sarcopenia diagnosed by computed tomography predicts postoperative complications in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

Background & aims: Surgery combined with chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. It is important to evaluate the occurrence of postoperative complications before operation and to prevent them. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of sarcopenia diagnosed by CT scans in predicting postoperative complications in patients with ovarian cancer.

Methods: Patients with PDS or IDS in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from August 2017 to August 2022 were included. Sarcopenia was identified using CT scans at the T12 level. According to the Clavien-Dindo classification, postoperative complications are considered to have occurred in grades 2 and above. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors contributing to postoperative complications. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 139 patients were included. Sarcopenia was observed in 24(17.27%) patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. Compared to the non-sarcopenia group, the sarcopenia group had a higher incidence of postoperative complications (62.50% VS 42.61%, p = 0.032). Multivariate logistic analysis confirmed sarcopenia (OR = 3.241, p = 0.026), age over 65 years (OR = 3.296, p = 0.005), and intraoperative bleeding (OR = 1.002, p < 0.001) as independent predictors of postoperative complications in ovarian cancer.

Discussion & conclusions: Sarcopenia diagnosed based on CT body composition analysis may serve as a potential predictor for postoperative complications. Further research is warranted to explore preventive strategies and interventions to improve outcomes in this population.