Sarcopenia results in poor survival rates in oral cavity cancer patients

Objective This study aimed to determine the impact or survival of low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) among patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) undergoing primary surgery. Design This study was a retrospective cohort study. Setting Oral squamous cell carcinoma patients treated at our referral centre from April 2005 to March 2014 were examined. Participants The cohort comprised 276 patients with OSCC undergoing primary surgery. Main outcome measures Estimated SMM was measured by calculating the cervical skeletal muscle mass from a CT scan of the head and neck. The 5‐year overall survival (OS) and disease‐specific survival (DSS) were analysed using a multivariable Cox regression model. Results There were 276 patients with a male‐to‐female ratio of 12:1. A low SMM (