Understanding how altered fat metabolism affects weight loss in pancreatic cancer patients
Official title: Metabolic vulnerability due to dysregulated lipid metabolism in PDAC cachexia
Funded at Oregon Health & Science University · NIH-10933570 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | September 22, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $361,006 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA280692-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10933570 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who are experiencing cachexia.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with pancreatic cancer who do not exhibit symptoms of cachexia may not benefit from this research.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grossberg, Aaron — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Grossberg, Aaron
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Metabolic vulnerability in pancreatic cancer cachexia linked to fat metabolism
This grant explores why people with pancreatic cancer lose weight and fat tissue and how fat metabolism affects their health and recovery.
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Targeting Perp in pancreatic cancer and its muscle wasting
This NIH grant explores a gene called Perp as a potential target to slow pancreatic cancer growth and reduce cachexia in patients.
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Blocking Perp to slow pancreatic cancer and cancer-related muscle wasting
This project will test whether lowering a protein called Perp can shrink pancreatic tumors and help people with pancreatic cancer who are losing weight and muscle.
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Imaging and targeted nanoparticle therapy for pancreatic cancer-related weight loss
Using advanced imaging and nanoparticles that deliver gene-silencing medicine to try to stop or reverse severe weight loss in people with pancreatic cancer.
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Why pancreatic cancer causes rapid fat and muscle loss
This project tests whether abnormal fat burning in people with pancreatic cancer causes the severe weight and muscle loss called cachexia and whether fixing that metabolism could help patients.
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Investigating ways to reverse weight loss caused by pancreatic cancer.
This study is looking at ways to help people with pancreatic cancer who are experiencing severe weight loss by using special techniques to target and change how their bodies process certain nutrients, with the hope of improving their health and well-being.
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.