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Body Mass Index as Risk Factor in mCRC

Is it better to have low or high BMI?

Publish date:: November 3, 2015

Low body mass index (BMI) is associated with an increased risk of progression and death among patients enrolled in 25 first-line metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) trials, with no increased risk for elevated BMI. This according to a study of 21,149 patients with mCRC. Researchers found:

• BMI was prognostic for overall survival and progression-free survival (PFS), with an L-shaped pattern in which risk of progression and/or death was greatest for low BMI; risk decreased as BMI increased to approximately 28 kg/m² and then plateaued.

• Patients with a BMI of 18.5 kg/m² had a 27% increased risk of having a PFS event and a 50% increased risk of death.

• Low BMI was associated with poorer survival for men than women.

• BMI was not predictive of treatment effect.

Citation: Renfro LA, Loupakis F, Adams RA, et al. Body mass index is prognostic in metastatic colorectal cancer: pooled analysis of patients from first-line clinical trials in the ARCAD database. [Published online ahead of print October 26, 2015]. J Clin Oncol. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2015.61.6441.

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