Understanding how altered fat metabolism affects weight loss in pancreatic cancer patients
Metabolic vulnerability due to dysregulated lipid metabolism in PDAC cachexia
This study is looking at how pancreatic cancer causes severe weight loss by affecting the body's ability to use fat for energy, and it's aimed at helping patients with this condition find better ways to manage their symptoms and improve their health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10933570 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates the severe weight loss condition known as cachexia, which affects many patients with pancreatic cancer. It aims to understand how pancreatic cancer disrupts the body's ability to use fat for energy, leading to significant muscle and fat loss that cannot be reversed by simply eating more. By using advanced genetic and metabolomic techniques, the study will explore the interactions between fat tissue, the liver, and muscle preservation in these patients. The findings could help identify new treatment strategies to combat cachexia and improve patient outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who are experiencing cachexia.
Not a fit: Patients with pancreatic cancer who do not exhibit symptoms of cachexia may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to effective treatments that alleviate cachexia, improving the quality of life and survival rates for pancreatic cancer patients.
How similar studies have performed: While cachexia has been studied for many years, this research explores novel aspects of lipid metabolism in cancer cachexia, making it a potentially groundbreaking approach.
Where this research is happening
Portland, United States
- Oregon Health & Science University — Portland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grossberg, Aaron — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Grossberg, Aaron
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.