Beyond BMI: The Clinical Relevance of Sarcopenia and Muscle Quality in Gynecologic Oncology from Meta-Analyses to Practice—The Potential Role of Body Composition Assessment, Including BIA, in Supportive Care

Abstract

Simple Summary Changes in body composition, particularly loss of muscle mass and reduced muscle quality, may affect treatment outcomes in patients with gynecological cancers. However, these changes are not routinely assessed in clinical practice and may remain undetected when body weight or body mass index is used alone. This review aims to summarize current knowledge on the relationships between muscle characteristics and survival, postoperative complications, treatment-related toxicity, and quality of life. It also discusses the potential use of computed tomography and bioelectrical impedance analysis for monitoring body composition. The findings suggest that low muscle mass and reduced muscle quality may be associated with poorer survival and selected treatment complications. This review highlights the importance of incorporating body composition assessment into comprehensive patient care and identifies areas requiring further research. Future prospective studies should determine whether regular monitoring and targeted supportive interventions can improve treatment tolerance and clinical outcomes.