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Sami Mansfield: Body Composition as a Prognostic Tool in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Sami (Papacek) Mansfield/LinkedIn

Apr 5, 2025, 06:03

Sami Mansfield: Body Composition as a Prognostic Tool in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Sami Mansfield, Founder of Cancer Wellness for Life, posted on LinkedIn:

“Why Body Composition May Be the Missing Prognostic Tool in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

What if a quick, non-invasive scan could give us a clearer picture of survival, treatment response, and even chemotherapy toxicity in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)?

A recent study found that bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) — a simple, clinic-friendly tool — can do just that.

Patients with a higher ECW/TBW ratio (a marker of fluid imbalance or inflammation) had:

Half the overall survival compared to those with lower ratios (19.1 vs. 38.6 months).
Worse progression-free survival.
Increased hematologic toxicity like thrombocytopenia.
Reduced chemotherapy dose intensity.

And it gets even more interesting: this body composition marker impacted the effectiveness of targeted therapies like anti-EGFR and anti-VEGF.

This is a powerful reminder that metrics like skeletal muscle mass, lean body mass, and hydration status aren’t just numbers—they’re predictors of outcomes.

As someone who works at the intersection of lifestyle medicine and oncology, I see this as an opportunity to:

Incorporate BIA into prehab and survivorship care.
Advocate for muscle-preserving, inflammation-reducing interventions.
Personalize treatment and toxicity management.
Let’s shift from weight to what the body is made of.

Body Composition assessment is a key metrics in our patient-facing My Lifestyle Shift program. We’ve learned the power of understanding these numbers for both our participants knowledge and coaching them!

Are you using body composition assessments in your practice? Let’s talk implementation — comment or DM me!”

Read Further.