Grant: CIHR New Investigator

Two out of five Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetimes. People with cancer lose significant amounts of muscle mass due to the disease itself or its treatment. Low muscle mass, also termed sarcopenia is a common and important factor leading to worse outcomes to those with cancer. These include physical disability, frailty, extended hospitalization, infectious complications, poorer quality of life, cancer progression and shorter survival. Eating an adequate amount of protein and energy is essential to sustain muscle mass but our current nutritional recommendations are not specific to people with cancer, and have not been developed based on scientific evidence. This research will be the first to study the energy and protein needs of people with cancer and to determine the efficacy of different protein and energy ratio diets for halting and correcting cancer-associated muscle loss and its related health consequences. The outcomes of this research have immediate implication for people with cancer. By improving principles of optimal nutrition intervention to counteract sarcopenia, we will improve well-being and survival, ultimately reducing the burden on Canada's health care system.