Impact of Surgery on the Body Composition of Patients Undergoing Colon Cancer Surgery

Introduction Surgery is the main treatment for colon cancer (CC). There are few studies evaluating the impact of surgery on body composition. The main aim of this study was to analyze changes in body composition after colectomy for CC. Materials and methods An observational and retrospective study of patients with CC was performed. Patients who underwent Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol were enrolled between December 2019 and June 2022. Pre- and postoperative measurements of each patient's musculoskeletal index (SMMI), psoas iliac index (PI), visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were performed by computed tomography (CT). In addition, muscle attenuation measured in Hounsfield units (HU) was analyzed to assess the presence of myosteatosis. Results After surgery, patients’ SMMI, PI, VAT and SAT decreased significantly in the patients (p<0.001). In addition, the number of patients with sarcopenia increased significantly (+11%). The number of patients with myosteatosis also increased significantly (p<0.001). Conclusions Surgical intervention has a negative impact on body composition in CC patients, with a significant decrease in muscle mass and visceral and subcutaneous fat. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of these changes on postoperative outcomes and long-term survival.