Characterization and cut-off values of skeletal muscle mass in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
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INTRODUCTION: Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is a relevant factor in oncology because of its association with treatment tolerance, efficacy, and survival. However, its characterization in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains limited, particularly in the Latin American population. OBJECTIVE: To characterize total and muscle group-specific SMM in newly diagnosed DLBCL patients and define age- and sex-adjusted cut-off values based on overall survival (OS). METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from a retrospective cohort of 242 patients aged ≥18 years between 2015 and 2024 at a referral center in Mexico City. SMM was assessed using computed tomography (CT) at the L3 vertebra. The skeletal muscle index (SMI) was calculated and correlated with clinical and functional parameters. OS was defined as the time from the date of diagnosis to the date of the last follow-up or death. RESULTS: Low SMI was observed in 57.4 % of patients, showing a weak correlation with age and a moderate correlation with handgrip strength. Proposed SMI cut-off values were as follows: women <60 years, 30.28 cm2/m2, and ≥60 years, 37.87 cm2/m2; for men <60 years, 55.82 cm2/m2, and ≥60 years, 49.96 cm2/m2. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive assessment of SMM, incorporating all regional muscle groups, provides a more accurate representation of body composition than isolated muscle analyses. The high prevalence of low SMM in this cohort underscores its clinical relevance and supports the applicability of the proposed cut-offs to improve SMI-based evaluations in Latin American patients with DLBCL.