Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Dec 15, 2026; 18(12): 125816
Published online Dec 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.125816
Published online Dec 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.125816
Sarcopenia in gastrointestinal malignancies: Assessment, prognostic significance, and multidisciplinary management
Aishwarya Venugopalan, Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital (BRAIRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi 110029, Delhi, India
Prashant Sirohiya, Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, National Cancer Institute (Jhajjar), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi 110029, Delhi, India
Author contributions: Venugopalan A and Sirohiya P conceptualized and designed the review; Venugopalan A conducted the literature search, screened and appraised the evidence, interpreted the data and drafted the original manuscript; Sirohiya P supervised the work and made critical revisions related to important intellectual content; both authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript to be published.
AI contribution statement: During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used Claude (Anthropic) solely for grammar and language editing. No AI tool was used to generate scientific content, analyse data, or draw conclusions. The authors reviewed and edited all text and take full responsibility for the content of the publication.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Corresponding author: Prashant Sirohiya, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, National Cancer Institute (Jhajjar), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, Delhi, India.
Received: July 17, 2026
Revised: August 8, 2026
Accepted: October 23, 2026
Published online: December 15, 2026
Processing time: 116 Days and 4.3 Hours
Revised: August 8, 2026
Accepted: October 23, 2026
Published online: December 15, 2026
Processing time: 116 Days and 4.3 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Sarcopenia is common in gastrointestinal cancers and independently predicts postoperative complications, treatment toxicity, reduced immunotherapy efficacy and poor survival. Opportunistic computed tomography analysis of skeletal muscle at the third lumbar vertebra allows practical, low-cost detection using imaging already performed for staging. Because its causes are multifactorial, effective management combines nutritional optimization, resistance and aerobic exercise, surgical prehabilitation and, in selected patients, pharmacotherapy such as anamorelin. Embedding routine muscle assessment and multimodal, multidisciplinary intervention into cancer care may improve outcomes in this vulnerable population.