447 Background: The response rate after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in locally advanced GEJ cancer and GC patients remains limited. Previous data suggest that sarcopenia is associated with poor anti-tumour response and survival. Methods: We conducted a post-hoc analysis of the prospective biomarker study in the MSCNRIO in Warsaw, Poland. A total of 71 patients were included in the study. Sarcopenia was quantified using two approaches – the Total Psoas Index (TPI) and the Hounsfield Unit Average Calculation (HUAC) in CT scan obtained at baseline (TPI1, HUAC1) and before surgery (TPI2, HUAC2). Based on previous data TPI 5.2 cm2/m2 and HUAC 18.8 were considered as a cut-off point for sarcopenia in men and TPI 4.0 cm2/m2 and 20.3 for the HUAC in women. Results: Baseline CT scan revealed sarcopenia in 20.9% (n=9) patients based on TPI1 and in 20.9% (n=9) based on HUAC1. In CT scan before surgery, sarcopenia was detected in 34% (n=17) patients based on TPI2 and in 26% (n=13) based on HUAC2. TPI and HUAC differences between ypN0 and ypN+ as well as pCR and non-pCR groups were not confirmed (p>0.05). No significant outcome of ROC analysis was observed (p>0.05). Disease-free survival and overall survival did not differ statistically depending on TPI1, TPI2, and HUAC1, HUAC2 (p>0.05). Conclusions: FLOT chemotherapy was associated with a more frequent occurrence of sarcopenia following preoperative treatment, with no impact on patients' survival time. Our data did not confirm that sarcopenia might be a predictor of a response to NAC.
Marcisz-Grzanka et al. (Sat,) studied this question.