Ability of malnutrition screening and assessment tools to identify computed tomography defined low muscle mass in colorectal cancer surgery

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition and low muscle mass are independently associated with poor outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, tools to identify low muscle mass are limited in the clinical setting. We investigated the ability of existing malnutrition screening and assessment tools to identify low muscle mass assessed by computed tomography (CT). Secondary aims were to determine the feasibility of CT analysis and handgrip strength (HGS). Methods and Analysis: An exploratory study of patients who underwent curative surgery for CRC between February and September 2019. Nutrition tools used included body mass index (BMI), Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST), and Patient-Generated Subjective Glob..