Comparison of Serum Myokine Dosages and Imaging Methods in the Evaluation of Sarcopenia in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma
It is known that some substances present in the blood, called 'myokines,' influence muscle loss. Some may accelerate this loss, while others may prevent it. Inflammatory substances in the blood can also contribute to muscle loss. Sarcopenia is assessed by an imaging technique called 'Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (SMI)' to measure muscle mass. This analysis can be done from radiological examinations. Sarcopenia has a serious impact on patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. It increases the risk of death, cancer recurrence, and decreases the response to treatments. Therefore, the investigators want to determine if blood tests for myokines obtained by simple blood draw can improve the assessment of sarcopenia in this specific setting.
• New diagnosis of HCC made by radiology and/or histopathology according to EASL criteria, regardless of the degree of hepatic fibrosis (METAVIR F0-F4)
• Availability of a pre-therapeutic three-phase contrast-enhanced abdominal-pelvic CT scan.