title: Ghrelin level and body weight loss after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ghrelin is a peptide hormone predominantly produced by endocrine cells in the oxyntic mucosa of the stomach and is an endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. Ghrelin plays an important role in regulating appetite, food intake, and energy metabolism. We investigated the correlation between clinicopathologic factors and plasma ghrelin concentration before and after esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction for esophageal cancer treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group comprised 25 patients (22 men, three women, age range 46-78 y) with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction between 1999 and 2007. Blood samples were collected before and three times after the operation. Plasma concentrations of ghrelin were determined using a sandwich-type enzyme immunoassay kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma ghrelin concentrations were significantly decreased to 38.7% of the preoperative concentration at postoperative d 7. Plasma ghrelin concentrations recovered slightly over 6-24 mo postoperatively. After 36 mo or longer, ghrelin concentrations had returned to preoperative levels. There was no relationship between ghrelin concentrations and gender, location of tumor, tumor stage, operative procedure, and reconstruction route at each time point. There was a significant relationship between the decrease in body mass index and decrease in plasma ghrelin in patients at 6-24 mo after esophagectomy (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma ghrelin concentrations decrease on a temporary basis after esophagectomy with gastric tube reconstruction and are associated with body weight loss after surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgical Science (Surgery I), Gunma University Graduate School, Gunma, Japan. tatsuyamiyazaki@gunma-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Naritaka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Hanako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokobori
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inose
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sohda
authors.forename: Masanobu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuchi
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin