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Sarcopenia in Oncology or Gerontology: What Is the Difference?

  • Hematology and Oncology (GR Williams, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Geriatrics Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Low muscle mass, commonly known as sarcopenia, has been a focus of gerontologic research for many years and is related to reduced health-related quality of life, functional impairment, and shortened survival.

Recent Findings

In oncology, body composition research, including sarcopenia, has emerged as an area of particular interest in the last several years, as sarcopenia is highly prevalent in patients with cancer regardless of age and is correlated with adverse treatment outcomes and shorter survival.

Summary

In this review, we discuss the differences between sarcopenia in gerontology and oncology, including the differences in definition, diagnosis, pathophysiology, outcomes, and future directions.

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Abbreviations

CT:

Computed tomography

DEXA:

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

ICD:

International Classification of Diseases

EWGSOP:

European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People

SMI:

Skeletal muscle index

ASM:

Appendicular skeletal muscle mass

SMA:

Skeletal muscle area

TPA:

Total psoas area

BIA:

Bioimpedance analysis

SPPB:

Short Physical Performance Battery

UPS:

Ubiquitin-proteasome system

HCC:

Hepatocellular carcinoma

ECOG:

Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Shlomit Strulov Shachar

  2. Division of Oncology, Rambam Health Care Campus, POB 9602, 31096, Haifa, Israel

    Shlomit Strulov Shachar

  3. Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    Noa Shafran

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  1. Shlomit Strulov Shachar
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Correspondence to Shlomit Strulov Shachar.

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Shlomit Strulov Shachar and Noa Shafran declare no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Hematology and Oncology

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Shachar, S.S., Shafran, N. Sarcopenia in Oncology or Gerontology: What Is the Difference?. Curr Geri Rep 6, 213–218 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13670-017-0220-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13670-017-0220-2

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