Metabolism of Lipids in Advanced Cancer

AHS Cancer Control Alberta

Status

Terminated

Conditions

Lung Neoplasms

Cachexia

Treatments

Procedure: Metabolic rate testing

Other: Blood draws

Biological: Oral administration of stable isotope (deuterium)

Study type

Observational

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT00962234

CIHR PIN 111846

CIHR PIN 111846/ethics 24906

Details and patient eligibility

About

The causes of failing nutrition status in advanced cancer are not well known. The way fat is moved, stored, burned or changed into other compounds may be affected and will be followed in patients using a tracer and other blood tests. The investigators hypothesize that fat loss and wasting results from low essential fatty acid availability in the body. Changes may occur in the liver that limits distribution and availability of fat to the body as an energy source or for other essential functions.

Full description

Weight loss in cancer is the result of breakdown of fat (lipid) and muscle protein reserves. This research will explore how people with cancer use fat in their body through the use of tracers and measures in the blood. A stable isotope of hydrogen called 'deuterium' is used to trace the production of different fats by the liver. Other methods will determine how much and what types of fat are transported around the body. Body composition will be determined by CT scan and related to fat measures.

Enrollment

12 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 85 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Low plasma phospholipids OR low plasma ratio of triglycerides to free fatty acids
Recent weight loss
Advanced stage lung cancer (Stage 3 or 4)

Exclusion criteria

Having symptoms that may affect measures of fat metabolism (nausea, vomiting, problems swallowing, etc.)
Taking n-3 fatty acid supplements such as fish oil