Hormones and neuropeptides in gastric and colorectal pacientes

• Grant number: 08/10001-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2009
• End date: October 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Nora Manoukian Forones
• Grantee: Nora Manoukian Forones
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The hipothalamus is the central feeding organ mediates regulation of short-term and long-term dietary intake via synthesis of various orexigenic and anorectic neuropeptides. An impairement of this balance may result in disorders of feeding behaviour and weight gain (obesity) or weight loss (cachexia). Advanced cancer patients suffer from malnutrition, which adversely affects their response to therapies. Changes in metabolism, hormones and circulating cytokines are factors known to increase the severity of anorexia and cachexia, which should justify the progressive weight loss of cancer patients. A cachectic patient is more susceptible to infections and post-operative complications, and has a lower tolerance to the oncologic treatment.The obesity is the second most frequent cause of death which can be prevented. Overweight and obesity responsible for 14% of cancer caused death in males, and 20% in females, respectively. Ghrelin, leptin, and PYY are directly involved in the regulation of the short-term energy balance. Nevertheless, the understanding of their regulation of and interaction with the other hormones, cytokines, and cancer still encounters various obstacles. Physiological and molecular studies related to the neuroendócrino control of food intake point to a need for new strategies to control the energy balance in catabolic diseases. Objective: The correlation among nutritional status, levels of hormones and neuropeptides, tumor staging and location, if any, will be observed, with the aim to understand the metabolic changes that increase the severity of cachexia and obesity in patients with gastric and the colorectal tumors.Casuistics and methods: Hundred (100) digestive tract cancer patients will be assessed. Their nutritional status will be assessed by the body mass index (BMI) and electrical bioimpedance (EBI), which allow the patients' lean body mass and body fat percentage to be measured. Blood samples will be collected by peripheral venipuncture in order to calculate the plasma levels of ghrelin, leptin, PYY, AgRP and NPY, CART, and ± -MSH only in overwheight and obeses pacientes. (AU)