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Ghrelin and leptin levels in cachectic patients with cancer of the digestive organs

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Abstract

Background

Cancer cachexia, a catabolic state characterized by weight loss, occurs frequently in patients with terminal-stage neoplastic diseases. Gastrointestinal hormones and cytokines may be associated with anorexia and wasting in cancer cachexia.

Methods

This study aimed to examine the mechanism of anorexia in cachectic patients through a prospective investigation of plasma cytokines, ghrelin, and leptin in 16 cachectic patients with cancer of the digestive organs and 10 healthy volunteers.

Results

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), and ghrelin levels were significantly higher in cachectic cancer patients than in the healthy volunteers, whereas leptin was significantly lower in the cachectic cancer patients. Plasma leptin levels and cytokine levels (TNF-α and IL-6) correlated significantly with body mass index (BMI), but plasma ghrelin levels did not correlate with BMI or with the grade of symptoms.

Conclusion

Neither weight loss nor the grade of symptoms seemed to be directly associated with the increase in ghrelin levels. Hence, it is considered that the increase in ghrelin levels cannot simply be explained by an increase in ghrelin secretion, suggesting that other mechanisms, such as the decreased inactivation of ghrelin, may also play a role. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms of the increase in ghrelin levels. Additionally, the changes in plasma cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and leptin in cachectic cancer patients suggest that these molecules may be useful markers for the evaluation of cancer cachexia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan

    Masanori Takahashi, Kenichi Oyama, Hisataka Fujiwara & Go Wakabayashi

  2. Department of Surgery, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan

    Masanori Terashima

  3. Department of Surgery, Hakodate Goryokaku Hospital, Hakodate, Japan

    Akinori Takagane

Authors
  1. Masanori Takahashi
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  2. Masanori Terashima
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  3. Akinori Takagane
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  4. Kenichi Oyama
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  5. Hisataka Fujiwara
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  6. Go Wakabayashi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Masanori Terashima.

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Takahashi, M., Terashima, M., Takagane, A. et al. Ghrelin and leptin levels in cachectic patients with cancer of the digestive organs. Int J Clin Oncol 14, 315–320 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-008-0856-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-008-0856-1

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