Network to cure cancer-related weight and muscle loss
The CANcer Cachexia Action Network (CANCAN): a Multidisciplinary Virtual Institute with the Mission to Cure Cancer Cachexia
A team of doctors and scientists is joining forces to find why cancer causes severe weight and muscle loss and to create better ways to help people with cancer-related wasting.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237222 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
I would be joining a virtual network of doctors and scientists from many fields who are working together on cancer-related weight and muscle loss (cachexia). They will combine clinical exams, detailed metabolic and hormonal tests, immune and tumor sample analysis, and advanced data methods to trace what tumors trigger in the body. Lab models and human biospecimens will be used side-by-side so discoveries in the lab can be linked back to real patients. The goal is to turn those discoveries into new treatments and better symptom management for people with cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with cancer who are experiencing unintentional weight or muscle loss, reduced appetite, or related metabolic problems and who are willing to provide clinical information and biospecimens at participating centers.
Not a fit: People without cancer or those whose weight loss is due to non-cancer causes are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new therapies and better care that reduce weight and muscle loss, improve tolerance of cancer treatment, and boost quality of life and survival.
How similar studies have performed: Past research has identified many pathways linked to cachexia but has not produced effective, widely used treatments, so this coordinated, multidisciplinary approach is relatively novel and aims to address those gaps.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goncalves, Marcus Dasilva — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Goncalves, Marcus Dasilva
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 below.