Grant: Operating Grant

The majority of patients who are affected by advances cancer (in Canada about 75,000 people per year), are affected by malnutrition and wasting. The losses of body weight, muscles and fat tissue are asociated with poor immunity, and poor tolerance to cancer therapy, and the associated weakness and fatigue place a large burden on patients and families. The malnutrition and wasting syndrome do not affect all cancer patients equally and while some will be less affected and have minimal weight losses, others are very susceptible and may lose so much weight as to appear as "skin and bones". This variation suggests that indeed some people may be genetically more likely to lose weight, just as some individuals have a family tendancy for other conditions such as obesity, diabetes or cancer. Our research focuses on identifying the genetic characteristics of cancer patients who are highly susceptible (or resistant) to wasting.