ALB and neoplasm: Although there was no significant difference in baseline tumor characteristics between the two groups before and after neoadjuvant therapy, albumin (− 3.12 ± 4.13 vs. − 0.79 ± 7.02, p = 0.036) as well as hemoglobin (− 0.93 ± 3.33 vs. − 0.33 ± 1.03, p = 0.043) levels were significantly lower in patients who developed SML during neoadjuvant therapy than in patients without significant muscle loss (No-SML).