Determining Energy Needs in Colorectal Cancer

This is an observational study to assess the determinants of energy expenditure in cancer, and how those change throughout the disease trajectory. The investigators hypothesize that skeletal muscle will be the primary determinant of energy expenditure throughout the disease trajectory.

Sex

All

Minimum age

18 Years

Maximum age

90 Years

Pre-treatment Participants:

Inclusion Criteria:

* Recent diagnosis of colorectal cancer (stage II-IV);
* Able to arrive at the Human Nutrition Research Unit fasted;
* Patients undergoing treatment should be able to undergo measurements within 20 days of treatment commencement;
* Able to provide written informed consent;
* Able to communicate freely in English;
* Age 18-90

Exclusion Criteria:

* Recent (within the past month) anti-cancer therapy;
* Recent invasive surgery (within the last 4 weeks);
* Women during pregnancy or are breast-feeding;
* Inability to breathe under the indirect calorimeter hood for 20-30 minutes;
* Severe toxicity during the 1st cycle therapy (where applicable);
* Severe mobility issues (e.g. confined to wheelchair);
* Use of medications that may affect body composition or metabolism will be evaluated individually (e.g. cortico-steroids, hormone replacement, etc.)
* Patients with a pacemaker

Post-treatment participants:

Inclusion Criteria

* Recently (\<3 year) completed adjuvant chemotherapy treatment for colorectal cancer (stage II-IV)
* Able to arrive at the Human Nutrition Research Unit fasted
* Able to provide written informed consent
* Able to communicate freely in English
* Age 18-90

Exclusion Criteria

* Recent (within the past month) anti-cancer therapy
* Recent invasive surgery (within the last 4 weeks)
* Women during pregnancy or are breast-feeding
* Inability to breathe under the indirect calorimeter hood for 20-30 minutes
* Severe mobility issues (e.g. confined to wheelchair)
* Use of medications that may affect body composition or metabolism will be evaluated individually (e.g. cortico-steroids, hormone replacement, etc.)
* Patients with a pacemaker

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