How the liver's ketone production affects muscle loss and recovery in pancreatic cancer
Official title: Elucidating the role of hepatic ketogenesis in pancreatic cancer cachexia and recovery
Funded at Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci · NIH-11457142 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether helping the liver make ketones can prevent muscle wasting and aid recovery for people with pancreatic cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 4R00CA286709-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11457142 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who are experiencing or at risk for cachexia (loss of skeletal muscle mass) would be the ideal candidates for this line of research.
✕Less likely to help
People without pancreatic cancer or those whose muscle loss is driven by causes unrelated to liver ketogenesis or STAT3 signaling are unlikely to benefit from these specific findings.
What this research studies
You will hear about work aiming to explain why many people with pancreatic cancer lose muscle despite eating. Researchers focus on how inflammation and the liver protein STAT3 stop the liver from switching to ketone production during times of low nutrition. They use lab models, genetic tools, and molecular assays (including ATAC-seq) to find the signals that block liver fat use. The team plans to test whether restoring liver ketogenesis can stop or reverse muscle loss and improve recovery after cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new treatments that prevent or reverse cancer-related muscle wasting, improving strength, quality of life, and eligibility for cancer therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Early animal studies from this group show restoring liver ketogenesis can prevent cachexia in mice, but translating this approach to human patients remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
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Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci
North Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Arneson-Wissink, Paige C — Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci
- Study coordinator: Arneson-Wissink, Paige C
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how liver metabolism affects muscle loss in pancreatic cancer patients
This study is looking at how liver function affects weight loss and muscle wasting in people with pancreatic cancer, hoping to find new ways to help improve their health and quality of life.
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Understanding how liver metabolism affects weight loss in pancreatic cancer patients
This study is looking at how pancreatic cancer causes severe weight loss and is trying to find ways to change liver function to help patients keep their weight and feel better.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.