{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,11]],"date-time":"2026-06-11T04:58:05Z","timestamp":1781153885902,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,10]],"date-time":"2026-06-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781049600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Muscles"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Hemoglobin levels play an important role in oxygen delivery to skeletal muscle, and reduced levels may impair muscle function and contribute to sarcopenia, particularly in patients with cancer. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of hemoglobin levels on muscle mass and function in patients with digestive tract cancer. Methods: Patients of both sexes aged up to seventy years with cancers of the digestive system undergoing surgical and clinical treatment at an oncology referral center were included. Hemoglobin levels were assessed using a blood count, and the risk of sarcopenia was estimated using the Mini Sarcopenia Risk Assessment (MSRA). A total of 82 patients were evaluated, with a mean age of 55.4 years. Colon cancer was the most prevalent (41.6%), followed by rectal (18.3%) and stomach (14.6%) cancers. The risk of sarcopenia was estimated at 85.4%, and the prevalence of low hemoglobin levels was 71.9%; 35.4% of patients presented moderate hemoglobin depletion. Hemoglobin levels showed a moderate correlation with gait speed and a slight correlation with calf circumference, handgrip strength, and MSRA score. In conclusion, the risk of sarcopenia and low hemoglobin levels are present in patients with digestive tract cancer. Additionally, hemoglobin levels positively correlate with indicators of muscle function and the risk of sarcopenia.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/muscles5020042","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,11]],"date-time":"2026-06-11T02:59:31Z","timestamp":1781146771000},"page":"42","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Correlation Between Hemoglobin Levels with Muscle Function and the Risk of Sarcopenia in Patients with Cancer of the Digestive System: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"5","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3437-7215","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elisa Silva","family":"Correia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Goi\u00e1s, Goiania 74605-050, GO, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0494-2607","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"J\u00e9ssika Martins","family":"Siqueira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Nutrition, Federal University of Goi\u00e1s, Goiania 74605-080, GO, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2979-9819","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gustavo Duarte","family":"Pimentel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Nutrition, Federal University of Goi\u00e1s, Goiania 74605-080, GO, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"209","article-title":"Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries","volume":"71","author":"Sung","year":"2021","journal-title":"CA Cancer J. 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