View clinical trials related to Cachexia; Cancer.
Filter by:People with incurable cancer often have complex individual needs, however there are several common themes encountered when considering this group. As cancer progresses there are series of interactions between the tumour and the patient, producing both local and systemic effects. This altered state of illness can have multiple ill effects including weight loss, fatigue, increased symptom burden and reduction in physical function which all contribute to a reduced quality of life. These areas are often studied in isolation, giving an incomplete picture. A detailed, holistic characterisation of this group of people does not exist. A robust characterisation of people with incurable cancer will allow identification and prioritisation of future research and has the potential to inform new therapeutics and provide justification for treatments. This study aims to collect information about symptoms and quality of life, weight loss and body composition, physical activity and the body's immune response to cancer. Participants with incurable cancer will be recruited to the study from oncology and palliative medicine services in the UK. Participants will answer questionnaires about quality of life and symptoms, have bloods taken for inflammatory marker and cytokine analysis and have their body composition measured by a variety of methods.
The series of the 3-year study aims to explore parents' experience of caring for a child's weight change among parents of children and adolescents with cancer, examine the associations and trends among muscle wasting and health-related variables, and then implement and assess effectiveness of a multidisciplinary approach with a personalized physical activity (walking) training intervention on improving muscle mass and other health-related variables.
This study is based on the assumption that muscle strength and muscle mass will be better preserved in an "intervention" group with specific management combining retraining and nutritional monitoring compared to the "no intervention" group and that this will be positive consequences for fatigue and quality of life. In addition, this project is also based on the assumption that these gains will be at least partially preserved 3 months after the end of specific care.
Rationale: Cancer cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome characterized by clinically relevant loss of muscle mass with or without loss of fat mass. To determine how treatment methods can be most effective, full insight in changes in gene expression, body composition, muscle function and muscle metabolism are of great importance. Objective: Main aim of the study is to investigate the differences in gene expression, body composition, muscle function and muscle metabolism in colon cancer patients compared to controls. Study design: Observational study Study population: 40 colon cancer patients undergoing a tumor resection (30 primary tumor and 10 liver metastases) and 15 control patients undergoing an inguinal hernia repair (♂, 10) or an abdominal hysterectomy (♀, 5). Main study parameters/endpoints: Primary study parameter will be gene expression (transcriptomic and polymerase chain reaction analyses of muscle biopsies). Secondary parameters will be body composition (determined in available CT scans and bio impedance analysis and with DEXA), muscle function parameters (grip and knee flexion/extension strength and measured in a biopsy), metabolic markers (measured in fat and muscle biopsies), biochemical markers (measured in blood/serum) and gene expression of fat biopsies. Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: The investigators expect no additional risk for the subjects due to the proposed measurements. Biopsies will be taken during the planned operation and therefore is not expected to cause a significant increase in burden for the patient. All other measurements are non-invasive, observational measurements with no risk of any harmful side effects.
This study evaluates the effects of a whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) training combined with individualized nutritional support on skeletal muscle mass, body composition, muscle strength/function, quality of life, fatigue, pain and gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with hematological malignancies 4-6 weeks before and 4-6 weeks after undergoing stem cell Transplantation. Within this context, this study also investigates the effect of the nutrition and exercise intervention on the period of hospitalization, period of White blood cell recovery and frequency and severity of complications (mucositis, Graft-versus-Host-Disease, infections) after stem cell Transplantation as consequences of the therapeutic immune Suppression.