Myosteatosis in Oesophagogastric Cancer: A Systematic Review

Author(s): Yannick Deswysen, Marc Van den Eynde, Nicolas Lanthier

Objectives and Methods: Myosteatosis, a pathological fat infiltration in muscle, is gaining attention in oncology, especially in oesophagogastric cancer. This systematic review aimed to summarise current evidence on its association with oncological outcomes, alongside sarcopenia, inflammation, and treatment effects. Four databases were searched up to October 2024.

Results: Of 132 articles screened, 34 were included (9814 patients). Sarcopenia and myosteatosis prevalence ranged from 15–70% and 11–84%. Both were frequently linked to increased mortality and higher complication rates following cancer treatment. Several simple inflammatory scores were also correlated with altered body composition and poor prognosis.

Conclusions: Sarcopenia and myosteatosis appear to be negative prognostic factors in oesophagogastric cancer. Their association with inflammatory markers is also suggested. However, variability in definitions, particularly for myosteatosis, limits comparability across studies, highlighting the need for standardised diagnostic criteria to better assess their impact and underlying mechanisms.