Tumor-related imaging parameters predict response and survival after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer

Table 1 Clinical and magnetic resonance image characteristics of non-sarcopenic and sarcopenic patients evaluated before neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer, n (%)/median (interquartile range)

Characteristics	Total (n = 133)	Non-sarcopenia (n = 98)	Sarcopenia (n = 35)	P value
Age (years)	56 (50, 64)	57 (50, 64)	56 (49, 66)	0.829
Maximum diameter of the tumor (mm)	37 (33, 45)	36 (33, 44)	40 (33.5, 46.5)	0.357
Length (mm)	56 (44, 68)	56 (44, 67.8)	57 (45, 69)	0.424
Short diameter of the largest lymph node (mm)	7 (5, 10)	7 (5, 10)	8 (5, 13)	0.718
Maximum diameter perpendicular to the intestinal wall on T2WI (mm2)	20 (15, 24)	20 (15, 24)	21 (15.5, 24.5)	0.272
Maximum cross-sectional area of the tumor on T2WI (mm2)	1064 (756, 1462)	962 (759, 1379)	1258 (789, 1720)	0.118
Distance of the tumor from the anal verge (mm)	51 (37, 72)	51.5 (36.2, 70.8)	50 (38.5, 73.5)	0.675
Carcinoembryonic antigen	3.77 (1.91, 13.05)	3.39 (1.78, 10.3)	5.05 (2.68, 20.2)	0.094
Carbohydrate antigen 19-9	12.23 (5.98, 27.80)	12.6 (6.46, 25.8)	9.92 (3.56, 32.5)	0.565
Body mass index (kg/m2)	22.87 (21.22, 25.10)	22.9 (21.3, 25.3)	22.9 (21.1, 24.1)	0.823
Sex
Male	93 (69.92)	60 (61.22)	33 (94.29)	< 0.01
Female	40 (30.08)	38 (38.78)	2 (5.71)
Circle
2	10 (7.52)	10 (10.20)	0 (0.00)	0.019
3	37 (27.82)	31 (31.63)	6 (17.14)
4	86 (64.66)	57 (58.16)	29 (82.86)
Signal
1	55 (41.35)	37 (37.76)	18 (51.43)	0.226
2	78 (58.65)	61 (62.24)	17 (48.57)
Spiculation
0	61 (45.86)	43 (43.88)	18 (51.43)	0.567
1	72 (54.14)	55 (56.12)	17 (48.57)
Node
0	94 (70.68)	72 (73.47)	22 (62.86)	0.333
1	39 (29.32)	26 (26.53)	13 (37.14)
Stratification
0	50 (37.59)	35 (35.71)	15 (42.86)	0.585
1	83 (62.41)	63 (64.29)	20 (57.14)
MRF status
0	63 (47.37)	51 (52.04)	12 (34.29)	0.108
1	70 (52.63)	47 (47.96)	23 (65.71)
Extramural vascular invasion status
0	55 (41.35)	39 (39.80)	16 (45.71)	0.682
1	78 (58.65)	59 (60.20)	19 (54.29)
ExtraMRF
0	86 (64.66)	65 (66.33)	21 (60.00)	0.641
1	47 (35.34)	33 (33.67)	14 (40.00)
Clinical T stage
2	2 (1.50)	2 (2.04)	0 (0.00)	0.696
3	60 (45.11)	44 (44.90)	16 (45.71)
4	71 (53.38)	52 (53.06)	19 (54.29)
Clinical N stage
0	29 (21.80)	22 (22.45)	7 (20.00)	0.971
1	51 (38.35)	38 (38.78)	13 (37.14)
2	50 (37.59)	36 (36.73)	14 (40.00)
3	3 (2.26)	2 (2.04)	1 (2.86)

0: No, negative or absent; 1: Yes, positive or present (excluding clinical T and N stage). MRF: Mesorectal fascia; T2WI: T2-weighted imaging.