Sarcopenia predicts postoperative complications in colorectal cancer surgery

In a study of 387 patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection for non-metastatic colorectal cancer, 40.31% were identified as sarcopenic. The overall postoperative complication rate reached 32.3%, with serious complications occurring in 12.1% of patients. Sarcopenic patients experienced significantly higher rates of total complications and serious issues, including anastomotic leakage and surgical site infections. Notably, sarcopenia was confirmed as an independent risk factor for complications, emphasizing its importance in preoperative assessment.