Impact of imaging-diagnosed sarcopenia on outcomes in patients with biliary tract cancer after surgical resection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background and aims: Sarcopenia has been associated with poor prognosis in patients with malignant tumors. However, its impact on the outcomes of patients with biliary tract cancer (BTC) undergoing surgical resection remains unclear and warrants further review. This study aims to summarize the available evidence on this issue.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for eligible studies up to March 10, 2024. We extracted data on overall survival (OS), recurrence free survival (RFS), and postoperative major complications from the included studies as the outcomes of interest. Following data synthesis and analysis, we assessed the heterogeneity and performed subgroup analyses. Additionally, the potential for publication bias was evaluated.

Results: A total of 26 studies involving 4292 BTC patients were ultimately retrieved. The findings indicated that sarcopenia was significantly associated with reduced OS in BTC patients after surgery (adjusted HR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.65-2.48, P < 0.001, I² = 57.4%). Moreover, sarcopenia may also be linked to poorer RFS (adjusted HR: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.79-2.59, P < 0.001, I² = 0%) and increased postoperative major complications (OR: 1.22, 95% CI 1.02-1.47, P = 0.033, I² = 29.2%) as well. Notably, no significant publication bias was detected through funnel plots and Egger's tests.

Conclusion: Sarcopenia is associated with poorer OS in BTC patients following surgery. Additionally, it may serve as a prognostic indicator for poorer RFS and increased postoperative major complications. Further studies are warrant to standardize existing definitions and validate these findings.