Muscular Quality, Not Quantity, Determines Outcome in Colorectal Cancer Surgery

A retrospective study of 207 colorectal cancer patients found that muscle quality, rather than quantity, significantly impacts surgical outcomes. The study demonstrated that patients with higher muscle radiation attenuation (MRA), a measure of muscle quality, experienced fewer postoperative complications, shorter hospital stays, and improved survival rates. In contrast, no significant associations were found between the skeletal muscle index (SMI) and surgical outcomes. This suggests that MRA is a more reliable tool for identifying high-risk patients who may benefit from prehabilitation interventions before colorectal surgery.