Prevalence of Sarcopenia Determined by Computed Tomography in Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies Láinez Ramos-Bossini, Antonio Jesús Gámez Martínez, Antonio Luengo Gómez, David Valverde López, Francisco Melguizo Alonso, Consolación Prados Salazar, José Carlos pancreatic neoplasm sarcopenia computed tomography Sarcopenia, a condition characterized by a loss of skeletal muscle mass, is increasingly recognized as a significant factor influencing patient outcomes in pancreatic cancer (PC). This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with PC using computed tomography and to explore how different measurement methods and cut-off values impact such prevalence. Materials and Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases was performed, identifying 48 observational studies involving 9063 patients. Results: The overall pooled prevalence of sarcopenia was 45% (95% CI, 40–50%), but varied significantly by the method used: 47% when measured with the skeletal muscle index and 33% when assessed with the total psoas area. In addition, in studies using SMI, sarcopenia prevalence was 19%, 45%, and 57% for cutoff values <40 cm2/m2, 40–50 cm2/m2, and >50 cm2/m2, respectively. Moreover, the prevalence was higher in patients receiving palliative care (50%) compared to those treated with curative intent (41%). High heterogeneity was observed across all analyses, underscoring the need for standardized criteria in sarcopenia assessment. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the substantial variability in sarcopenia prevalence, which could influence patient outcomes, and stress the importance of consensus in measurement techniques to improve clinical decision making and research comparability. 2024-10-28T11:14:22Z 2024-10-28T11:14:22Z 2024-09-30 journal article Láiñez Ramos-Bossini, A.J. et. al. Cancers 2024, 16, 3356. [https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16193356] https://hdl.handle.net/10481/96391 10.3390/cancers16193356 eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ open access Atribución 4.0 Internacional MDPI