Purpose: To investigate prevalences of sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia among patients with hematological malignancies prior to chemotherapy according to Asia Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria, and to elucidate clinical characteristics of patients with sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia.
Methods: Patients admitted for chemotherapy to the department of hematology, Iizuka Hospital were evaluated for body composition and physical function before treatment. Using the AWGS 2019 criteria, they were classified into non-sarcopenia, sarcopenia, and severe sarcopenia groups. Various factors were compared between these groups.
Results: Among 118 eligible patients, 18 (15.3%) and 21 (17.8%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia, respectively. Patients with sarcopenia were more likely to have malnutrition and cachexia compared to non-sarcopenia patients. Addition to these clinical features, severe sarcopenia patients were older and in higher inflammatory status than non-sarcopenia patients. When we compared severe sarcopenia patients with non-sarcopenia patients, and with sarcopenia patients, significantly more patients had poor performance status in severe sarcopenia group than in both groups of patients.
Conclusion: Prevalence rates of sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia among patients with hematological malignancies prior to chemotherapy were high, and these patients had more adverse clinical characteristics.

Introduction: This study examined the relationships between walking ability, muscle strength, and physical symptoms in patients with terminal cancer.
Methods: Walking ability, lower limb muscle strength, and physical symptoms were assessed in 70 patients upon admission to the palliative care ward. Statistical analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis with walking ability as the outcome; lower limb muscle strength as the exposure variable; and age, sex, Palliative Prognostic Index, and opioid use as adjustment variables.
Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that walking ability was associated with lower extremity muscle strength (odds ratio: 3.37; 95% confidence interval: 1.05–10.80; p = 0.041).
Conclusion: Lower limb muscle strength affected walking ability in patients with terminal cancer. Our results suggest that exercise therapy aimed at maintaining and improving muscle strength and walking ability is needed for patients in palliative care as well as for patients with cancer undergoing treatment.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of physical activities (PA) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among breast cancer survivors after chemotherapy, based on the degree of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted via the internet. The survey items included PA (IPAQ shortened version), CIPN, and HRQOL (FACT-G/Ntx) as well as basic information. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed with HRQOL as the dependent variable and PA, CIPN, and an interaction term between PA and CIPN as independent variables. The models were adjusted for age, body mass index, and time after the initial treatment.
Results: Valid responses were obtained from 72 women, and PA and CIPN were significantly associated with physical (odds ratio PA: 1.69, CIPN: 0.32) and functional (PA: 1.53, CIPN: 0.52) aspects of HRQOL, respectively. The interaction between PA and CIPN was not significant.
Conclusions: PA is suggested to have a positive effect on HRQOL in breast cancer survivors after chemotherapy regardless of CIPN, but there was no difference in the effect of PA on HRQOL according to the degree of CIPN.

Objective: This report presents the case of a patient with COVID-19 who was undergoing chemotherapy-induced bone marrow suppression. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) was employed with tailored frequencies to prevent muscle atrophy and maintain physical function.
Case: A male patient in his 70s with myelodysplastic syndrome developed a COVID-19 infection during treatment with the hypomethylating agent azacitidine. As a consequence of bone marrow suppression and the onset of symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection, the patient was rendered bedridden.
Course: During the period of isolation, NMES with combined frequencies was applied. On the first day of isolation, the patient exhibited severe fatigue, prompting the initiation of NMES on the second day. Throughout the isolation period, NMES and low-intensity resistance exercises constituted the primary interventions.
Results: The results demonstrated that, following the isolation period, the patient's muscle mass and physical function had been maintained at levels comparable to those observed prior to admission, thereby preserving his activities of daily living (ADL).
Conclusion: It may therefore be concluded that, in this case, NMES may constitute an effective alternative intervention for preventing muscle atrophy and maintaining physical function in cancer patients, including those with COVID-19.