title: Clinical implications of body composition assessment by computed tomography in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
abstract: According to computed tomography image analysis, skeletal muscle (SM) and adipose tissue areas vary widely in patients with the same body mass index or the same body surface area. Body composition variables such as SM mass, SM density and subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue have shown value as potential independent predictive factors for survival in cancer patients, although data for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) undergoing targeted therapy remain relatively scarce. Confirmation of their prognostic value is required before they can be considered useful adjuncts to conventional predictive models of survival in RCC patients. In addition, variability in SM mass might affect drug toxicity, with patients with a low rather than high SM mass being at a higher risk of toxicity. A dose tailored to the individual patient's SM mass might lower toxicity in RCC patients, enable completion of the treatment plan and thus impact favorably on treatment effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ambulatory Care, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antoun
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lanoy
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Albiges-Sauvin
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Escudier
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D013534:Survival; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents