How obesity changes chemotherapy effects on immune cells and muscle
Official title: Impact of Obesity on Chemotherapy-Induced Cytotoxicity: Immune Cells and Skeletal Muscle
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11330566 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how obesity affects side effects and treatment impact from 5-FU in colon cancer, with findings that could help tailor chemotherapy for patients who are obese.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | March 2, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 5R00CA276891-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11330566 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with cancer who are obese or have high BMI undergoing 5-FU–based chemotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not receiving 5-FU–based therapy or those without obesity are less likely to benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
If you are dealing with cancer and obesity, this research aims to understand why obesity worsens chemotherapy side effects like low blood counts, mouth sores, weakness, and fatigue. The researchers will study how obesity might lower an enzyme that breaks down the chemotherapy drug 5-FU, potentially making the drug more toxic in obese patients. By using known models and patient data, they hope to identify ways to adjust dosing or supportive care to reduce harm while keeping treatment effective. The goal is to improve tolerability and outcomes for obese patients undergoing anti-cancer therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to safer, more personalized chemotherapy dosing for obese cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior work shows obesity can alter drug metabolism and toxicity, but clear guidelines for 5-FU dosing in obesity are not established, making this a novel area.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vanderveen, Brandon — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Vanderveen, Brandon
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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.