Assoc. of Genomic Polymorphisms With Cancer Cachexia in Subjects With Panc Adenocarcinoma

A major complication of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is cancer cachexia (CC) which is a complex syndrome characterized by skeletal muscle mass loss (with or without loss of fat mass) and progressive functional impairment not reversible by conventional nutritional support. It is estimated to occur in over 75% of patients with advanced PDAC, the highest incidence of all solid tumors, and contributes significantly to poor outcomes and mortality. Though there is overlap amongst the pathophysiologic studies evaluating CC in murine models of different tumor types, the high prevalence of CC within gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies and specifically PDAC suggest that dedicated studies evaluating polymorphisms in candidate genes specific to PDAC warrant further evaluation. The collection and analysis of specimens under this study will facilitate the identification and characterization of genomic polymorphisms associated with CC in PDAC patients. Subsequently, this data may help contribute towards diagnostic and therapeutic treatments that may improve patient outcomes.