Percentiles for body composition parameters based on computed tomography in endometrial cancer patients

ABSTRACT Objective Our aim was to provide the percentiles of distribution of body composition parameters according to cancer staging and body mass index (BMI) stratum, as well as to identify the contribution of age, BMI and cancer staging in the variation of the different parameters of body composition in a population of patients with endometrial cancer. Methods We enrolled 545 patients who had pre-treatment computed tomography (CT) images, which were used to assess total skeletal muscle (SM), low and high-radiodensity SM and visceral, subcutaneous and intramuscular adipose tissue, and mean skeletal muscle radiodensity (SMD). All the body composition parameters were normalized by the square of the stature. They were then presented on average and at the 5th, 50th and 95th percentiles. The correlation of these parameters with age, BMI and cancer stage was tested, and then a multiple linear regression analysis was performed. The p values ​​≤0.05 were accepted as statistically significant. Results BMI was associated to body fat parameters and for low-radiodensity SM index, while cancer stage was associated to SM index, mean SMD and high-radiodensity SM index. Conclusion The values presented in the study can contribute to the interpretation of the data originated from CT and can be used to categorize the individuals in different phenotypes of body composition.