Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz and Indiana University School of Medicine have identified a biological process that may help explain why colorectal cancer can cause severe muscle and bone loss, especially in its most advanced stages. The condition, known as cancer cachexia, can leave patients weak, make everyday activities more difficult and make it harder to tolerate cancer treatment.
The study is published in Nature Communications.
Researchers found that colorectal cancer cells can send a signal to the liver, causing it to produce a protein called IGFBP1. Once released into the bloodstream, IGFBP1 can contribute to the loss of muscle and bone.
In laboratory and mouse studies, blocking IGFBP1 helped preserve muscle and bone while also improving muscle strength, even when the cancer itself remained.
"Our findings show that cancer can affect muscle and bone through a conversation between the tumor and the liver," said Andrea Bonetto, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Pathology and member of the CU Anschutz Cancer Center and the study's co-corresponding and senior author. "This gives us a new way to think about cancer-related wasting and a potential target for protecting patients from its effects."
