Use of prediction equations to determine the accuracy of whole-body fat and fat-free mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass measurements from a single abdominal image using computed tomography in advanced cancer patients.

Measurements of body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and single abdominal images from computed tomography (CT) in advanced cancer patients (ACP) have important diagnostic and prognostic value. The question arises as to whether CT scans can serve as surrogates for DXA in terms of whole-body fat-free mass (FFM), whole-body fat mass (FM), and appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) mass. Predictive equations to estimate body composition for ACP from CT images have been proposed (Mourtzakis et al.

The abridged patient-generated subjective global assessment is a useful tool for early detection and characterization of cancer cachexia.

Cancer cachexia (CC) is a syndrome characterized by wasting of lean body mass and fat, often driven by decreased food intake, hypermetabolism, and inflammation resulting in decreased lifespan and quality of life. Classification of cancer cachexia has improved, but few clinically relevant diagnostic tools exist for its early identification and characterization. The abridged Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (aPG-SGA) is a modification of the original Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment, and consists of a four-part questionnaire that scores patients' weight history, food intake, appetite, and performance status.

Metabolic, nutritional and inflammatory characteristics in elderly women with advanced cancer.

Objective: Few studies have focused on the metabolic profiling of patients with advanced cancer and the relationship with nutritional and inflammatory characteristics, which have important diagnostic, treatment and prognostic implications, particularly in the elderly. Our objective was to determine differences in energy expenditure during rest and activity, body composition, nutrition, and inflammatory markers between healthy elderly females and those with advanced cancer.

Materials And Methods: Twenty elderly (74.

Handgrip strength predicts survival and is associated with markers of clinical and functional outcomes in advanced cancer patients.

Purpose: Handgrip strength (HGS) has been shown to predict survival and is associated with changes in body composition, nutritional status, inflammation, and functional ability in several chronic disease conditions. Whether similar relationships exist between HGS and clinical outcomes in patients with advanced cancer are currently unknown. We evaluated the association between HGS and survival as well as several key markers of body composition (e.

Evolution of the determinants of chronic liver disease in Quebec.

Introduction: Chronic liver diseases (CLDs) are a worldwide problem. Morbidity and mortality due to CLDs could be avoided or reduced by targeting the main risk factors, including obesity and alcohol use.

Methods: To describe the evolution of the key determinants of CLDs in Quebec, we studied the trends in obesity, alcohol use, viral hepatitis B and C, CLD mortality and hospitalization rates, and the liver cancer incidence rate between January 1, 1981, and December 31, 2009.

Is IL-6 the best pro-inflammatory biomarker of clinical outcomes of cancer cachexia?

Background & Aims: Despite the descriptive presence of cancer cachexia (CC) in clinical practice, the underlying mechanisms and diagnostic definition have not been clearly identified. Recent work, attempting to establish diagnostic and staging criteria for CC, has identified IL-6 as a biomarker. This study aimed to investigate the clinical relevance of plasma levels of four pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α) in advanced cancer patients (ACP) to further establish their potential in the diagnostic definition of CC.

Cancer-related fatigue: the impact of skeletal muscle mass and strength in patients with advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although exertional fatigue is directly and negatively related to skeletal muscle mass and strength, it is currently unknown if these variables are associated with cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if CRF is associated with measures of appendicular lean muscle mass and strength in advanced cancer patients (ACP). METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighty-four patients (48 men, 36 women aged 61.

Relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism and body composition, functional performance, and blood biomarkers in advanced cancer patients.

Purpose: Nutritional and functional outcome measures have been shown to vary in patients with chronic diseases according to the polymorphic alleles of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), but little is known about the associations between ACE gene polymorphism (ACEGP) and the components of body composition, strength, and selected blood markers in advanced cancer patients (ACP).

Experimental Design: Data were collected from an inception cohort of 172 newly diagnosed ACP with gastrointestinal and non-small cell lung cancer. ACEGP status was defined by the presence of one of the following three combinations of alleles: insertion/insertion, insertion/deletion, and deletion/deletion.