Using Body Composition to Dose Cancer Treatment

Grant Williams, M.D., clinical instructor and research fellow at UNC Lineberger Cancer Center, discusses the potential of using body composition to better dose cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.

Currently, chemotherapy is dosed based on body surface, and composition is not taken into account. However, drugs are distributed differently among fat and muscle, so by taking these factors into account, health care professionals may be able to provide patients with more personalized treatment plans.