title: Weight loss correlates with macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 expression and might influence outcome in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Weight loss during chemotherapy has not been exclusively investigated. Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1) might play a role in its etiology. Here, we investigated the prognostic value of weight loss before chemotherapy and its relationship with MIC-1 concentration and its occurrence during chemotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 157 inoperable locally advanced or metastatic ESCC patients receiving first-line chemotherapy. Serum MIC-1 concentrations were assessed before chemotherapy. Patients were assigned into two groups according to their weight loss before or during chemotherapy: >5% weight loss group and≤5% weight loss group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with weight loss>5% before chemotherapy had shorter progression-free survival period (5.8 months vs. 8.7 months; p=0.027) and overall survival (10.8 months vs. 20.0 months; p=0.010). Patients with weight loss>5% during chemotherapy tended to have shorter progression-free survival (6.0 months vs. 8.1 months; p=0.062) and overall survival (8.6 months vs. 18.0 months; p=0.022), and if weight loss was reversed during chemotherapy, survival rates improved. Furthermore, serum MIC-1 concentration was closely related to weight loss before chemotherapy (p=0.001) CONCLUSIONS: Weight loss both before and during chemotherapy predicted poor outcome in advanced ESCC patients, and MIC-1 might be involved in the development of weight loss in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Department of GI Oncology, Peking University School of Oncology, Beijing Cancer Hospital and Institute, Fujian Province, China E-mail : linshenpku@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhi-Hao
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jing-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xi-Cheng
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ji-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Xiao-Tian
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C526140:GDF15 protein, human; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15