2024 Asia Conference on Lung Cancer (ACLC) - Poster & ePosters-PP01.07

PP01.07 - Yo Kawaguchi

Pdf Summary

This study investigates the relationship between lung cancer and sarcopenia, focusing on the role of activin A, a protein known to be secreted by lung tumors. Sarcopenia, characterized by muscle wasting, is a common and severe complication in lung cancer patients, correlating with poor outcomes.<br /><br />### Key Findings:<br /><br />1. **Association of Activin A and Sarcopenia:**<br />   - Immunohistochemical analysis of lung cancer tissues revealed a significant association between high activin A expression and muscle wasting in patients. This relationship was quantified by analyzing activin A levels and the Psoas Muscle Index (PMI), showing that higher activin A levels correspond to decreased muscle mass (r = -0.222, p = 0.030).<br /><br />2. **Impact on Survival:**<br />   - An inverse relationship was observed between activin A levels and overall survival rates in lung cancer patients, highlighting the potential of activin A as a prognostic marker (p = 0.001).<br /><br />3. **Animal Model Observations:**<br />   - A lung cancer sarcopenia mouse model was established to study this phenomenon. Tumor development led to significant reductions in muscle weight and strength over three weeks compared to healthy controls, validating the model for further study.<br /><br />4. **Mechanism of Action:**<br />   - The role of activin A in muscle catabolism was further confirmed by using a lung cancer cell line (LLC) with knocked-down activin A expression. This led to a reduction in muscle wasting and tumor growth when compared to controls, indicating activin A's crucial role in these processes.<br /><br />5. **Therapeutic Implications:**<br />   - The findings suggest that targeting activin A could form the basis of novel treatments to mitigate sarcopenia and inhibit tumor growth in lung cancer patients, thereby improving prognosis.<br /><br />Overall, the study underscores the importance of understanding tumor-induced changes in muscle physiology and offers insights into potential therapeutic strategies against lung cancer-related sarcopenia.

Keywords

lung cancer

sarcopenia

activin A

muscle wasting

prognostic marker

Psoas Muscle Index

survival rates

animal model

muscle catabolism

therapeutic strategies