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A study of the effect of genomic trends on cancer cachexia

Aditya Desai

Problem Statement

Significance

There is a problem with the understanding of genomic trends and their role in modulating cancer cachexia.

Despite a relatively more structured understanding of the effect of cancer cachexia on skeletal muscle and fat, the effect of cancer cachexia on gene signalling pathways has been thoroughly studied.

No fundamental research on genomic trends is occuring. There are a limited number of scientific publications on this topic. Of the little research available, none of it is specific to the trends correlated with cancer cachexia.

This problem has negatively impacted patients suffering from cancer cachexia because of the limited knowledge on this topic and the lack of clinical understanding/applications.

A possible source of this problem could be genomic differences in patients suffering from cancer cachexia that modulate cachectic symptoms.

Perhaps a study which investigates genomic trends and their role in cancer cachexia by analysis of TCIA and TCGA could provide more clarity in this situation.

  • A proper understanding of the impact of genomic trends on cancer cachexia could facilitate clinical research towards finding effective therapies

  • Idenfying genomic trends associated with cancer cachexia could expand the scope of current research

Assumptions/Hypothesis

  • Cancer cachexia is directly controlled by genetic signalling
  • Specific genetic trends are altered in cases of cancer cachexia
  • Altering gene expression could prove as a therapy to treat patients with cancer cachexia in clinical settings

Research Question

Proposed Method of Inquiry

What role do genomic trends play in the modulation of cancer cachexia as assessed by a thorough analysis of clinical data?

  • Data mining of clinical data sets found on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA)

  • Analysis of CT Images and quantification of organ and muscle size

Definitions

Cancer Cachexia - a multifactorial syndrome defined by an ongoing loss of skeletal muscle mass (with or without loss of fat mass) that cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutritional support and leads to progressive functional impairment (Fearon, et. al., 2011)

Atrophy - the wasting or breakdown of tissue, typically due to degeneration of cells

Genome - the complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism

Sources

Fearon, Lancet Oncol 2011

The Cancer Genome Atlas

The Cancer Imaging Archive

*Note: Once research is underway, more sources to be added

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