Abstract
Sarcopenia is a loss of muscle mass accompanied by reduced muscle stren gth and/or impai red physical performance. ln patients with malign ancies, sarcopenia is a multifactorial problem associated with ch ronic inflammation, aging, nutritional deficiencies, inactivity, and cancer treatment. In colorectal cancer, sarcopenia is an independent prognostic factor at all stages of the disease and is associated with poor outcomes of surgical and pharmacological treatments.
Patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma have a high prevalence of sarcopenia. Detection and assessment of sarcopenia in routine clinical practice is relatively straightforward using commonly available imaging methods.