The Effect of Satiety Gut Hormone Modulation on Appetitive Drive After Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2018-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Improvements to treatment strategies for patients with cancers of the upper gastrointestinal
tract have produced a large population of people who remain free from cancer recurrence in
the long term following treatment.
Surgery is the cornerstone of treatment for patients with these cancers, but while surgical
removal of the tumour may offer the best chance of cure, these are major operations
associated with specific long term complications. Weight loss and poor nutrition are common
problems among patients who attain long-term cancer remission and cure after surgery. The
mechanisms underlying these problems are not well understood and therefore treatment options
are limited.
Our research has demonstrated increased levels of chemical messengers (gut hormones) released
from the gastrointestinal tract after meals in patients who have previously undergone this
type of surgery. These chemical messengers play a role in controlling appetite and interest
in food, and increased levels after surgery may reduce interest in eating. Understanding the
role of gut hormones in the control of appetite may allow us to use certain medications to
block gut hormones and hence increase appetite, allowing patients to eat more and regain
weight, preventing nutritional problems after surgery.
In this study, the investigators aim to determine whether exaggerated gut hormone secretion
causes reduced appetite and interest in food after surgery. The information gained from this
study may help us to develop treatments for patients with weight loss and nutritional
problems after surgery.
Phase:
N/A
Details
Lead Sponsor:
St. James's Hospital, Ireland
Collaborators:
Göteborg University University College Dublin University of Dublin, Trinity College