Cut-off values for low skeletal muscle mass at the level of the third cervical vertebra (C3) in patients with head and neck cancer

Low skeletal muscle mass is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with cancer. For patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), skeletal muscle mass is often assessed at the third cervical vertebra on head and neck imaging. Due to the unavailability of standardized cut-off values for low skeletal muscle mass in patients with head and cancer, there is heterogeneousness of cut-off values for low skeletal muscle mass described in literature. Therefore, we aim to provide standardized cut-off values for low skeletal muscle mass in HNC patients.