# Sarcopenia and Pleural Mesothelioma: The Current Knowledge

## TL;DR

This paper reviews the link between muscle loss (sarcopenia) and pleural mesothelioma, finding that sarcopenia is associated with worse survival and quality of life in patients.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the novel association between sarcopenia and pleural mesothelioma outcomes, emphasizing the need for further research.

## Key findings

- Sarcopenia is linked to poorer survival and reduced activity levels in pleural mesothelioma patients.
- Pre-sarcopenia and malnutrition are common in PM subjects and correlate with worse quality of life and activity levels.
- Post-operative sarcopenia is associated with decreased 3-year overall survival in surgically treated PM patients.

## Abstract

Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is a tumor related to adverse prognosis. The PM WHO classification has mainly identified three major subtypes of PM which are epithelioid, biphasic, and sarcomatoid. Sarcopenia is a medical issue related to a reduction in muscle mass and strength. It represents a major health issue globally because it is related to adverse effects such as hospitalization, increased length of stay, disability, increased morbidity and mortality and augmented health care expenditures. In this literature review, we attempted to examine the upcoming association between sarcopenia and PM. As recorded by the current literature, muscle loss in PM subjects was related to poorer survival and lower levels of activity. Subjects with PM had increased rates of pre-sarcopenia and malnutrition, while pre-sarcopenia was related to worse activity levels, and malnutrition was related to worse quality of life (QoL). Both tumor volume and sarcopenia were related to long-term mortality in surgically treated PM subjects, while sarcopenia was present both pre-operatively and post-operatively in these subjects. In addition, post-operative sarcopenic subjects showed a decreased 3-year overall survival (OS) in comparison with those who did not have sarcopenia, while pre-operative sarcopenia was importantly related to an increased rate of post-operative adverse outcomes. More studies are needed to validate these claims.