Medical

Oncology

Assessing body composition in oncology is critical for optimizing treatment, predicting outcomes, and improving patients’ nutritional status and quality of life.

What is Oncology?

Oncology encompasses various specialties, including medical, surgical, and radiation oncology, each focusing on different aspects of cancer care. Additionally, it involves ongoing research into cancer biology, new treatment modalities, and supportive care strategies to improve survival rates and patient well-being.

Applying body composition analysis in this field is essential because it helps assess nutritional status, which can significantly impact treatment outcomes. Moreover, by monitoring body composition such as changes in muscle and fat, fluid balances and cellular health, oncologists can better support patients through personalized interventions, ultimately enhancing their quality of life and recovery.

The Role of Body Composition Analysis in Oncology

Assess Risk of Malnutrition & Sarcopenia

Assessing malnutrition and sarcopenia risk in cancer patients can provide critical insights into their nutritional status and muscle health. This helps to identify those at risk of malnutrition/sarcopenia and guide tailored nutritional interventions.

Identify Fluid Imbalances and Lymphedema Risk

Identifying localized fluid accumulation is vital for detecting cancer-related circulation issues and assessing lymphedema risk.

Prognostic Indicators for Survival

Monitoring the ECW Ratio and Phase Angle serves as crucial prognostic markers in cancer patients. A high ECW Ratio paired with a low Phase Angle is linked to lower survival rates.

How to Apply InBody in Oncology?

Evaluate Nutritional Status with Phase Angle

Phase Angle serves as an indicator of cellular health and nutritional status. By assessing Phase Angle, dietitians and nutritionists can identify malnutrition risks in cancer disease patients, tailor interventions, and monitor the effectiveness of immunotherapies.

Detect Fluid Imbalances Related to Edema or Inflammation Through ECW Ratio

Cancer can cause muscle loss and compromise organ and cellular functions, resulting in systemic inflammation or edema. By monitoring the ECW Ratio, oncologists can track fluid changes throughout the body to better understand the causes of imbalanced fluid levels. Furthermore, monitoring Segmental ECW Ratio allows nephrologists to detect specific areas of fluid retention that may go unnoticed with general assessments.

Assess Sarcopenia Risk using SMI

Cancer and its treatments can contribute to muscle loss, making it crucial to screen for sarcopenia. The Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (SMI) screens for sarcopenia risk, allowing oncologists to identify at-risk patients and create interventions to preserve muscle health.

Assess Muscle-Fat Balance to Promote Muscle Maintenance

Disease onset, progression, and treatment can cause changes in body composition especially the loss of muscle mass. Assessing muscle-fat balance is essential, as low muscle mass is linked to poorer survival rates.

Prognostic Indicators for Survival

Monitoring ECW Ratio and Phase Angle can serve as important prognostic markers in cancer patients. A high ECW Ratio combined with a low Phase Angle is associated with lower survival rates. By assessing these indicators, oncologists can better predict patient outcomes and tailor treatment plans accordingly, ultimately enhancing patient care and survival prospects.