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Date of Graduation

5-2026

Description

Skeletal Muscle Mass and Gait Speed in Patients with Lung Cancer: A Pilot Study

Russo, R. & Schmitt, A.C.: The MOVE Lab, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

Background: Lung Cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths in the United States, and Arkansas has one of the highest rates of lung cancer in the nation. Many patients with lung cancer experience cancer cachexia, fatigue, reduced strength, and mobility, all which negatively affect a patient’s life. Gait can be used as an essential indicator of underlying health challenges; specifically gait speed has been defined as the “sixth vital sign” for its relationship to overall health and functional ability. Gait speed and skeletal muscle mass both play an important role in maintaining mobility; however, the relationship between the two in lung cancer patients is not well studied.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between skeletal muscle mass and gait speed in patients diagnosed with lung cancer. I hypothesized that patients with more skeletal muscle mass would correlate with faster gait speeds.

Methodology: Eight patients with lung cancer were enrolled in the study and 7 were included in the final analysis (5 males, 2 females, average age: 72 years). Participants provided informed consent before height, weight, and body composition were measured using an InBody 770 bioelectrical impedance analysis to determine skeletal muscle mass. Gait speed was taken using a 20-foot pressure-sensing walkway. Participants were instructed to “walk at your normal, comfortable pace” down and back across the walkway twice to collect gait speed.  Data was then analyzed through Pearson’s correlation coefficient to evaluate the relationship between skeletal muscle mass and gait speed.

Results: There was a slight negative, non-significant relationship between skeletal muscle mass and gait speed (R = -.355, p= .435). This indicates that there was not a statistically significant relationship between skeletal muscle mass and gait speed in the 7 lung cancer patients analyzed.

Discussion: The results of this pilot study examining skeletal muscle mass and gait speed in patients with lung cancer are inconclusive. Potential reasons for this lack of statistical significance may be attributed to the study’s small sample size, variability in cancer stages, and body composition of participants. Additionally, sarcopenia can have a complex relationship with skeletal muscle mass and mobility within older adults, which may have contributed to the null results. More studies and research are needed to further investigate the correlation between skeletal muscle mass and gait speed.

Funding source: Honors College Research Grant

 

Word Count: 381

Publication Date

2026

Document Type

Book

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Health, Human Performance and Recreation

Advisor/Mentor

Abigail Schmitt

Disciplines

Oncology | Public Health

Keywords

Research-Based

Skeletal Muscle Mass and Gait Speed in Patients with Lung Cancer: A Pilot Study

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