Until now, cancer is still associated with high morbidity and mortality, and is therefore a big issue for the public health. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in developed countries. In advanced colorectal cancer, 60% of these patients develop cachexia. The presence of cachexia plays an important role in the high mortality rate of cancer. Cachexia is characterized by involuntary weight loss with loss of skeletal muscle with or without loss of fat mass. The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of taking muscle biopsies of cachectic colorectal cancer patients. Skeletal muscle characteristics will be compared between biopsies of the m. erector spinae and the m. vastus lateralis from cachectic colorectal cancer patients, non-cachectic colorectal cancer patients and healthy controls. 10 cachectic, 25 non-cachectic, and 25 healthy controls will be recruited for this study. It is an observational study, so measurements will be taken at one time point. Interventions/measurements: * muscle biopsies * blood samples * 3D freehand ultrasound * Short physical performance battery test * handgrip strength * questionnaires (activity pattern, quality of life)
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
60
Fine needle muscle biopsies will be taken from the m. erector spinae and the m. vastus lateralis. Participants are placed in a standardized prone position on the examination table for measurements of the m. erector spinae and in a supine position for measurements of the m. vastus lateralis.
Hasselt University - REVAL research institution
Diepenbeek, Limburg, Belgium
RECRUITINGJessa Hospital
Hasselt, Limburg, Belgium
RECRUITINGSkeletal muscle fiber typing
Immunofluorescence staining of skeletal muscle biopsies to observe different muscle fiber types (myosin heavy chains)
Time frame: at enrollment
skeletal muscle nuclei
Immunofluorescence staining with DAPI
Time frame: at enrollment
Inflammatory parameters
ELISA (bloodsamples), immunofluorescence staining (muscle biopsies)
Time frame: at enrollment
Mitochondrial morphology
mitochondrial fusion and fission (western blot) mitochondrial OXPHOS (western blot)
Time frame: at enrollment
3D freehand ultrasound
measuring the volume of the m. rectus femoris
Time frame: at enrollment
CT-scans
level lumbar 3 To calculate the cross-sectional area of the m. erector spinae.
Time frame: at enrollment
Activity pattern
PASIPD questionnaire
Time frame: at enrollment
VAS score
to descripe the pain at the moment of the biopsy procedure. Score range is 0 to 10. With 0 no pain until 10 the worst pain.
Time frame: at enrollment
Handgrip strength
Using the JAMAR to measure the handgripstrength
Time frame: at enrollment
Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) test
Including a balance test, sit-to-stand test and four meter walking test
Time frame: at enrollment
Quality of Life questionnaire
SF-36 questionnaire 36-item patient-reported questionnaire that covers eight health domains: physical functioning (10 items), bodily pain (2 items), role limitations due to physical health problems (4 items), role limitations due to personal or emotional problems (4 items), emotional well-being (5 items), social functioning (2 items), energy/fatigue (4 items), and general health perceptions (5 items). Scores for each domain range from 0 to 100, with a higher score defining a more favorable health state.
Time frame: at enrollment
skeletal muscle capillarization
Immunofluorescence staining for capillaries in the skeletel muscle biopsies.
Time frame: at enrollment
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