Ultrasonography of the rectus femoris - a tool to assess the severity of sarcopenia in lung cancer patients - An observational study

Q: Why is sarcopenia important in lung cancer patients?

Sarcopenia significantly affects treatment outcomes and prognosis, increasing mortality risk and contributing to adverse events that impair quality of life.

Q: What does this study evaluate?

It evaluates the utility of rectus femoris ultrasonography to assess skeletal muscle health and quantify sarcopenia severity in lung cancer patients.

Q: How were participants grouped in the analysis?

Patients were classified into three groups based on muscle strength and physical function: non-sarcopenic, sarcopenic, and severely sarcopenic.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford

Lung cancer has a higher incidence and mortality rate than other malignancies, and sarcopenia substantially worsens therapeutic outcomes and prognosis. Rapid identification and early intervention are critical, yet existing diagnostic guidance is limited for nonambulatory or critically ill patients. This observational study evaluates ultrasonography for skeletal muscle health and sarcopenia severity in lung cancer patients.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages7

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Abstract

Abbreviations

Introduction

® Observational Study Ultrasonography of the rectus femoris, a tool to assess the severity of sarcopenia in lung cancer patients An observational study Cheng-Chen Xu, MDa , Chen-Chen Liu, MMb ,* , Lin-Jing Wang, MBa , Meng-Cheng Zhang, MBa , Jun-Cheng Feng, MMc , Chen-Jun Zhai, MDd , Hong-Hua Pan, MBb | Abstract
Lung cancer has a higher incidence and mortality rate than other cancers do. Sarcopenia significantly affects therapeutic outcomesand prognostic prospects in patients with lung cancer. Rapid identification and early intervention for sarcopenia are priorities. Current diagnostic guidelines have limitations, particularly for nonambulatory or critically ill patients, where ultrasonography has emerged as a practical alternative. This study aims to evaluate the utility of ultrasonography in assessing skeletal muscle health and sarcopenia severity in lung cancer patients. This study was a secondary analysis of our previous research and analyzed clinical and imaging data from 82 lung cancer surgery patients and 53 benign controls. All participants underwent grayscale ultrasonography and shear wave elastography (SWE) of the rectus femoris (RF), measuring RFthick , RFcsa , RFmgv , and CSmean . Based on muscle strength and physical function, patients were categorized into 3 groups: non-sarcopenic (Group I), sarcopenic (Group II), and severely sarcopenic (Group III) . Lung cancer patients exhibited lower RFthick , RFcsa , and CSmean but higher RFmgv compared to benign controls, with significant differences in RFcsa , RFmgv , and CSmean among the groups (P < .05) . Additionally, RFmgv and CSmean varied significantly among lung cancer patients with different sarcopenia severities (P < .05) . Ultrasonography of the RF provides objective measures for assessing skeletal muscle health in patients with lung cancer and is vital for evaluating sarcopenia severity. | | --- | | Abbreviations: AWGS = Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia, BIA = bioelectrical impedance analysis, CSmean = mean shear wave velocity, CT = computed tomography, DXA = dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, EWGSOP2 = European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2, L3 = the third lumbar vertebra, MRI = magnetic resonance imaging, RF = rectus femoris, RFcsa = RF cross-sectional area, RFmgv = RF mean gray value, RFthick = RF thickness, ROI = region of interest, SMI = skeletal muscle index, SWE = shear wave elastography, T10 = the tenth thoracic vertebra. | | Keywords: grayscale ultrasonography, lung cancer, rectus femoris, sarcopenia, shear wave elastography | 1. Introduction According to the 2022 Global Cancer Burden Report,[1] lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, claiming approximately 1.8 million lives worldwide and accounting for 18.7% of all cancer fatalities. This figure is significantly higher than that for other types of cancer. In China, the situation is even more severe, with lung cancer being responsible for 28.6% of cancer-related deaths and 22.2% of new cases. This disease places a significant burden on societal resources leading to high medical costs. Sarcopenia is closely linked to lung cancer and significantly affects the treatment outcomes and patient prognosis. Individuals with lung cancer who also suffer from sarcopenia are at a threefold higher risk of death than those without sarcopenia, regardless of cancer stage, which greatly influences their prognosis. [2] Additionally, sarcopenia is associated with various adverse events including falls, fractures, difficulties in This research leading to these results received funding from the Wuxi Health Commission for Research projects in China: Q202266. The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (revised in 2013). This study was app

FAQs

Why is sarcopenia important in lung cancer patients?

Sarcopenia significantly affects treatment outcomes and prognosis, increasing mortality risk and contributing to adverse events that impair quality of life.

What does this study evaluate?

It evaluates the utility of rectus femoris ultrasonography to assess skeletal muscle health and quantify sarcopenia severity in lung cancer patients.

How were participants grouped in the analysis?

Patients were classified into three groups based on muscle strength and physical function: non-sarcopenic, sarcopenic, and severely sarcopenic.

Sep 23, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford