Does obesity improve lung cancer outcomes? Yes, to some extent

Obesity can improve lung cancer outcomes, but only if skeletal muscle quality is maintained

Axial noncontrast CT image of a 69-year-old male patient with a BMI of 28.4 showing normal skeletal muscle mass and radiodensity, as indicated by a skeletal muscle index of 62.4 cm2/m2 and a skeletal muscle radiodensity of 41.6 HU. Photo courtesy of RSNA.

New research findings could help explain the “obesity paradox,” wherein being overweight is linked to both improved outcomes in certain diseases and increased mortality rates in others.