Background: Skeletal muscle index (SMI), a measure of muscle mass derived from pretreatment imaging, has emerged as a potential prognostic factor in cancer. Its role in non-metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), where curative treatment is possible, remains underexplored.
Purpose: To evaluate the association between pretreatment SMI and survival outcomes, specifically overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), in patients with non-metastatic CRC through a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to March 24, 2025, for studies reporting SMI (measured via CT scan at L3) and survival outcomes in non-metastatic CRC. Studies were assessed for quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was evaluated with the I2 statistic.
Results: Seventeen studies, comprising 16,031 patients, were included. Low SMI was associated with a 28% higher risk of overall mortality (pooled HR for OS: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.04-1.57, p = 0.02) and a 23% higher risk of recurrence/progression (pooled HR for DFS: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.02-1.49, p = 0.02). Heterogeneity was high reflecting variability in SMI cutoffs and study designs.
Conclusion: Low pretreatment SMI is a significant predictor of poorer OS and DFS in non-metastatic CRC. Its routine assessment via existing CT scans could enhance risk stratification and guide interventions to improve outcomes. High study heterogeneity warrants further research to standardize measurement thresholds and clarify its clinical utility.
Keywords: Body composition; Colon cancer; Colorectal cancer; Sarcopenia; Skeletal muscle index; Survival.
© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.