Role of Activin A (ActA) in the Human Cancer Cachexia

Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc- Université Catholique de Louvain

Status

Completed

Conditions

Lung Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Treatments

Other: blood tests and muscular biopsies

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT01604642

ACTICA

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of the investigators study is to investigate the role of a hormone named Activin A (ActA) in the development of the skeletal muscle atrophy caused by cancer. According to the investigators hypothesis, ActA could be released by the tumor and activate a muscle atrophy gene program. To answer this question, the investigators plan first to compare circulating levels of ActA in cancer patients with and without cachexia. In a second step, the investigators would like to assess whether ActA circulating levels are predictive for the development of cachexia and short survival.

Enrollment

150 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

18-year-old or older
Colorectal or lung cancer demonstrated by histology or cytology
New diagnosis or new recurrence
Expected survival more than 3 months
No previous history of other cancer in the last 5 years
No pregnancy or lactation
Signed informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Non-caucasian
Major digestive malabsorption
Major depression
Artificial nutrition
Height doses of steroids (>1 mg/kg hydrocortisone equivalent)
Hyperthyroidism
Other causes of malnutrition
Expected survival less than 3 months
Severely impaired walking
Anticoagulants or antiplatelet therapy
Disability or medical condition which might prevent the compliance to the protocol
Any conditions which may prevent the compliance to the protocol
Performance status ECOG > ou = 4
Participation to other clinical studies