To explore the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and survival outcomes in patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC).
Approach:
Study Design: A single-center retrospective study analyzing 112 UC patients diagnosed between January 2018 and February 2024.
Patient Categorization: Patients were categorized based on the presence of MetS (≥ 3 criteria) or its individual components.
Survival Analysis: Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazard regression models.
Key Findings:
MetS was present in 43.8% of the cohort.
MetS was associated with poorer OS (HR 2.04, p=0.018) and PFS (HR 2.13, p=0.024) after adjustment for stage.
MetS independently predicted OS (HR 2.27, p=0.038).
Diabetes was the strongest individual predictor of adverse outcomes (adjusted HR for OS 3.33, p=0.001; PFS 3.35, p=0.002).
Hypertension independently predicted worse OS (HR 1.96, p=0.039).
Obesity and dyslipidemia were not associated with survival.
Interpretation:
MetS and its components, particularly diabetes and hypertension, were associated with poorer survival outcomes in patients with UC.
Limitations:
Single-center study may limit generalizability.
Retrospective design may introduce biases.
Incomplete data on waist circumference for obesity assessment.
Conclusion:
Further prospective studies are required to determine whether optimization of metabolic health can improve oncological outcomes.
