2026 Volume 4 Pages 42-50
Background: This study aimed to assess short-term changes in skeletal muscle mass and quality during the perioperative period in patients with esophageal cancer.
Methods: Twenty-three patients with esophageal cancer who underwent curative esophagectomy with reconstruction at a single institution were evaluated at three time points: before surgery (T0), at hospital discharge (T1), and 3–4 months after surgery (T2). Skeletal muscle mass was assessed using the skeletal muscle index (SMI) measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis, as well as psoas muscle volume (PMV) and psoas muscle area (PMA) at the L3–L5 levels calculated from computed tomography (CT). Muscle quality was evaluated by CT attenuation of the psoas muscle and phase angle.
Results: SMI decreased by 8% from T0 to T1. PMV decreased by 7%, and PMA at the L4–L5 levels decreased by 5~6% from T0 to T2, whereas PMA at the L3 level remained unchanged. In contrast, neither CT attenuation nor phase angle showed statistically significant changes throughout the study period.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that skeletal muscle mass declines significantly over a short period following esophagectomy, whereas muscle quality remains relatively preserved during the perioperative phase.
