The need to reappraise the definition of sarcopenia in cancer patients

Rationale: In cancer patients, sarcopenia has been independently associated with worse outcome but it has been diagnosed exclusively on the presence of reduced skeletal muscle mass (SMM). However, based on consensus criteria for old adults it is defined by the co-existence of low muscle strength and reduced SMM. Particularly, low muscle strength has been pointed out as a key characteristic of sarcopenia. The prognostic significance of muscle function in cancer patients has been scantily investigated.