Loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) and function in ageing are associated with reduced functional ability, quality of life and reduced life expectancy. In cancer patients, age related muscle loss may be exacerbated by cachexia and poor nutritional intake. Individuals with widespread disseminated disease are most prone to increasing functional decline, increased morbidity and accelerated death. However subjective assessments of physical performance have been shown to be poor indicators of life expectancy in these patients. To develop an objective measure to aid calculation of life expectancy in cancer by investigating the association between objectively measured lean muscle mass and longevity, in 41 patients with known spinal metastases from all cause primaries.Background
Aims
