title: The relationship between a urinary cachectic factor and weight loss in advanced cancer patients.
abstract: A 24K glycoprotein, the proteolysis-inducing factor (PIF), has been identified in mice and humans with cancer cachexia. Clinical cross-sectional studies found an association between the presence of PIF in urine and tumors of patients and weight loss. For the first time, we report results from a longitudinal study establishing the relationship between a urinary PIF pattern and persistent weight loss. Over time, cancer patients positive for the PIF pattern experienced weight loss, whereas those with a negative test gained weight.
authors.affiliation: Bioanalytical and Drug Discovery Unit, Gerontology Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224-6825, USA.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torres-Duarte
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Brant
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhargava
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Irving W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Wainer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000652:urine*; D002100:Cachexia / Q000150:complications / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011509:Proteoglycans; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans; C042057:proteolysis-inducing peptide