Preoperative sarcopenia diagnosed based on the asian working group criteria and Short-term outcomes in older patients undergoing resection of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: Sarcopenia is a common comorbidity in older adults. This study aimed to clarify the association between preoperative sarcopenia, based on the Asian Working Group 2025 (AWGS2025) criteria, and postoperative outcomes in older patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients aged ≥ 75 years who underwent lung resection for clinical stage I lung cancer. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on grip strength and bioelectrical impedance-derived muscle mass measured according to the AWGS2025 criteria. The primary outcomes were postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), defined as Clavien-Dindo classification Grade ≥ 2 within 30 days, and unplanned readmission within 90 days after surgery. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with postoperative outcomes.

RESULTS

Among the 107 patients, 28 (26%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. The incidence of PPCs (32% [9/28] vs. 8% [6/79], P = 0.003) and unplanned readmission (18% [5/28] vs. 3% [2/79], P = 0.013) was higher in the sarcopenia group. Sarcopenia independently predicted PPCs (odds ratio [OR], 5.00; P = 0.020) and unplanned readmissions (OR, 9.17; P = 0.019).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative sarcopenia, diagnosed using the AWGS2025 criteria, is closely associated with PPCs and unplanned readmissions in older patients. Preoperative screening may facilitate risk stratification and improve perioperative care.