Electrical impedance measurements to track cancer-related muscle loss
Official title: Electrical impedance myography (EIM) to detect and track cancer cachexia
Funded at Myolex, INC. · NIH-11402064 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A first-ever test using a handheld device to measure muscle health in adults with cancer to help diagnose and monitor cancer cachexia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Myolex, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Brookline, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $136,944 |
| NIH project number | 5R43CA306431-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11402064 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with cancer who are at risk for or have cancer cachexia.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cancer cachexia or without measurable muscle changes may not benefit from this device.
What this research studies
This project uses Myolex’s mScan handheld device to measure muscle health with electrical impedance myography in adults with cancer cachexia. It aims to provide a quick, inexpensive, point-of-care way to diagnose cachexia and track changes over time, potentially guiding personalized exercise and rehabilitation plans. By offering more direct muscle health information than current imaging, it could help tailor treatments and improve quality of life for patients undergoing cancer care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive earlier and more precise guidance for managing muscle wasting during cancer treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows EIM can monitor neuromuscular health, but this is the first application for cancer cachexia.
Where this research is happening
-
Myolex, INC.
Brookline, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dickinson, David P. — Myolex, INC.
- Study coordinator: Dickinson, David P.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Mitochondrial pores and muscle loss in cancer cachexia
A small US-based study will explore how changes in mitochondria contribute to muscle wasting in people with cancer cachexia and how this may be slowed.
-
CANCAN: A Virtual Institute to Cure Cancer Cachexia
A broad, collaborative NIH initiative aims to uncover why cancer patients lose weight and muscle and to develop new ways to treat this serious condition.
-
Spatial metabolism mapping in cancer cachexia tissues
Aims to map where and how metabolism changes in tissues affected by cancer cachexia using advanced imaging technology.
-
Nuclear receptors that may stop muscle wasting in cancer
This grant explores whether activating specific muscle-regulating receptors can prevent muscle loss in cancer patients.
-
Stopping an enzyme called Transglutaminase 2 to prevent cancer-related muscle loss
This work explores whether blocking an enzyme called Transglutaminase 2 can stop or reverse the severe muscle wasting that often affects people with pancreatic cancer.
-
How the liver's ketone production affects muscle loss and recovery in pancreatic cancer
This project looks at whether helping the liver make ketones can prevent muscle wasting and aid recovery for people with pancreatic cancer.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.