Journal Article

DKFZ-2026-02478

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Association of altered body composition with cardiac wasting in cancer with and without cardiotoxic therapy.

Hadzibegovic, S. ; Hella, J. L. ; Porthun, J. ; Lena, A. ; Krug, D. ; Baluta, I. ; Wilkenshoff, U. ; Mahabadi, A. A. ; Totzeck, M. ; Rassaf, T. ; Anker, S. D. ; Doehner, W. ; Keller, U.DKFZ* ; Bullinger, L.DKFZ* ; Modest, D. P.DKFZ* ; Laird, B. J. A. ; Skipworth, R. J. E. ; Cleland, J. G. F. ; Oeing, C. ; von Haehling, S. ; Landmesser, U. ; Anker, M. S.

2026
Wiley Malden, MA

Abstract: In advanced cancer, associations among changes in body composition, cardiac wasting and prior cardiotoxic anticancer therapy have not been investigated.Using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), body composition was measured in 206 patients with mostly advanced cancer without known cardiovascular disease or infection (stage III/IV: 84%, prior cardiotoxic anticancer therapy: 55%). Left ventricular (LV) mass was assessed by transthoracic echocardiography and grouped by presence of cardiac wasting according to previously established sex-specific thresholds for LV mass adjusted for height2 (<61 g/m2 for women, <57 g/m2 for men). BIA measurements (indexed to height2) included fat mass index (FMI), fat-free mass index (FFMI), skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI), visceral fat index (VFI), total body water index (TBWI) and extracellular water index (ECWI).Patients with cancer and cardiac wasting (n = 88) were younger (57±15 vs 62±13 years) and more often women (68% vs 29%) compared to those without cardiac wasting (n = 118). Patients with cardiac wasting had significantly lower FMI (-12%), FFMI (-14%), SMMI (-16%), VFI (-46%), TBWI (-13%) and ECWI (-14%). For women, FFMI was significantly associated with LV mass/height2 (r = 0.41) and VFI for men (r = 0.40). In the multivariable linear regression analysis, FFMI was the strongest significant predictor of cardiac wasting, with no significant interaction by sex or previous cardiotoxic therapy.Cardiac wasting in advanced cancer is associated with lower FFMI and VFI independent of prior cardiotoxic therapy.

Keyword(s): cachexia ; cancer ; cardiology ; cardiotoxicity ; echocardiography ; left ventricular mass

Note: epub

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. DKTK Koordinierungsstelle Berlin (BE01)

Research Program(s):

1. 899 - ohne Topic (POF4-899) (POF4-899)

Appears in the scientific report 2026

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Database coverage:
; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; DEAL Wiley ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 5 ; JCR ; PubMed Central ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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