Plasma growth differentiation factor 15 is associated with weight loss and mortality in cancer patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cancer-related weight loss is associated with increased inflammation and decreased survival. The novel inflammatory mediator growth differentiation factor (GDF)15 is associated with poor prognosis in cancer but its role in cancer-related weight loss (C-WL) remains unclear. Our objective was to measure GDF15 in plasma samples of cancer subjects and controls and establish its association with other inflammatory markers and clinical outcomes.

Methods

We measured body weight, appetite, plasma GDF15, and other inflammatory markers in men with cancer-related weight loss (C-WL, n = 58), weight stable patients with cancer (C-WS, n = 72), and non-cancer controls (Co, n = 59) matched by age and pre-illness body mass index. In a subset of patients we also measured handgrip s

SUBMITTER: Lerner L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4670740 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature