Increased urinary excretion of cortisol and catecholami-NES in malnourished cancer patients

Excretion of cortisol and catecholamines were measured from 24-hour urine samples collected over a period of 3 days from hospitalized cancer patients suffering from malnutrition and were compared with those of control patients equally malnourished and having a similar degree of inflammation. Compared with control patients, cancer patients had a higher excretion of cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline, although noradrenaline excretion reached statistical significance only when normalized to creatinine excretion. Plasma glycerol concentrations after an overnight fast were significantly higher in cancer patients as compared with control patients, in keeping with an increased adrenal and adrenergic activity. This study demonstrates evidence of simultaneously elevated catecholamine and cortisol excretion in cancer patients, which could not be ascribed to alteration in body composition. The results may, in part, explain the mechanisms behind ongoing tissue breakdown in progressive cancer disease.