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Maladaptive Adipose Tissue Activity in Cancer

Terminated
Conditions
Cancer Nos
Interventions
Procedure: Resting Energy Expenditure
Other: Thermal Comfort Questionnaire
Registration Number
NCT03621124
Lead Sponsor
Virginia Commonwealth University
Brief Summary

The purpose of this pilot research is to study brown adipose tissue, a type of fat that increases metabolism (burns energy) during exposure to cold, and how it may contribute to the weight loss observed in cancer.

Detailed Description

The purpose of this research is to study brown adipose tissue, a type of fat that increases metabolism (burns energy) during exposure to cold, and how it may contribute to the weight loss observed in cancer. Many patients affected by cancer lose weight, despite normal or increased nutrition. It may progress to the condition called "cancer-associated cachexia." Cancer associated cachexia is defined by an ongoing loss of skeletal muscle mass with or without the loss of fat mass, and may negatively affect quality of life and the ability to undergo cancer treatments. Metabolism is the breakdown of food by the body into the energy that your body needs.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
TERMINATED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
3
Inclusion Criteria
  • ≥ 40 years of age
  • Have active cancer diagnosis.
  • Have had a PET/CT scan within the past 12 months at time of enrollment.
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
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Exclusion Criteria
  • Current use of beta-blockers
  • Women who are pregnant or unsure of their pregnancy status
  • Women who are breastfeeding
  • Suffers from severe claustrophobia
  • Diagnosed with a serious psychiatric condition which could impede the judgement of the investigators, and/or the successful conduct of the recording.
  • In remission stage for cancer diagnosis
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Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Brown Adipose Tissue Positive patientsResting Energy ExpenditurePatients with known malignancy and incidental finding of positron emission tomography/ computerized tomography (PET/CT) scans positive for brown adipose tissue (BAT). After obtaining informed consent and all initial screening visit procedures, patients will participate in two four-hour recording sessions in the whole room indirect calorimeter to assess resting energy expenditure, and patient's thermal (comfort) response to the temperature of the room.
Brown Adipose Tissue Negative PatientsResting Energy ExpenditurePatients with known malignancy and no evidence of brown adipose tissue BAT activity positron emission tomography/ computerized tomography (PET/CT) scans to be matched to group 1 for primary tumor and stage, sex, age (±5 years), BMI (±3 Kg/m2). After obtaining informed consent and all initial screening visit procedures, patients will participate in two four-hour recording sessions in the whole room indirect calorimeter to assess resting energy expenditure, and patient's thermal (comfort) response to the temperature of the room.
Brown Adipose Tissue Positive patientsThermal Comfort QuestionnairePatients with known malignancy and incidental finding of positron emission tomography/ computerized tomography (PET/CT) scans positive for brown adipose tissue (BAT). After obtaining informed consent and all initial screening visit procedures, patients will participate in two four-hour recording sessions in the whole room indirect calorimeter to assess resting energy expenditure, and patient's thermal (comfort) response to the temperature of the room.
Brown Adipose Tissue Negative PatientsThermal Comfort QuestionnairePatients with known malignancy and no evidence of brown adipose tissue BAT activity positron emission tomography/ computerized tomography (PET/CT) scans to be matched to group 1 for primary tumor and stage, sex, age (±5 years), BMI (±3 Kg/m2). After obtaining informed consent and all initial screening visit procedures, patients will participate in two four-hour recording sessions in the whole room indirect calorimeter to assess resting energy expenditure, and patient's thermal (comfort) response to the temperature of the room.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Difference in resting energy expenditure between brown adipose tissue (BAT)-positive and BAT-negative patients with cancer.27 Months

Characterization of the energy metabolism profiles of cancer patients with and without evidence of BAT activation will be assessed utilizing one sided t-test.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Difference in energy expenditure between room temperature and response to warm exposure (energy expenditure) in BAT-positive and BAT-negative cancer patients.27 Months

Assessment of environmental modulation as an effective strategy to mitigate maladaptive BAT activation in patients with malignancy will be assessed by two-sided t-test.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Virginia Commonwealth University/ Massey Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Richmond, Virginia, United States

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