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Updated: Oct 12, 2025
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The Colon-26 Carcinoma Tumor-bearing Mouse as a Model for the Study of Cancer Cachexia
Published on: November 30, 2016
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Activation of the Complement System in Patients with Cancer Cachexia
Min Deng1, Rianne D W Vaes1, Annemarie A J H M van Bijnen1
1Department of Surgery, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Cancers
|November 27, 2021
Summary
Systemic inflammation in cancer cachexia is linked to complement system activation, with elevated C3a and terminal complement complex (TCC) levels observed in inflamed patients. This suggests the complement system plays a role in cancer cachexia pathogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Metabolic Medicine
Background:
- Systemic inflammation is implicated in the metabolic issues of cancer cachexia.
- The complement system, a part of innate immunity, contributes to metabolic inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between systemic inflammation and complement activation in cancer cachexia patients.
- To explore the role of complement factors like C3a and terminal complement complex (TCC) in this context.
Main Methods:
- Measured systemic C3a and terminal complement complex (TCC) levels in cancer patients with and without cachexia and inflammation.
- Assessed C-reactive protein (CRP) levels to define inflammation status (CRP ≥ 10 mg/L).
- Correlated complement factor concentrations with clinical parameters and each other.
Main Results:
- Cachectic patients with inflammation showed significantly higher C3a levels compared to non-inflamed or non-cachectic groups (p=0.0186).
- Terminal complement complex (TCC) concentrations showed a trend of gradual increase across the groups (p=0.0511).
- C3a and TCC concentrations were strongly correlated (rs=0.468, p=0.0005), and C1q levels correlated with C3a and TCC.
Conclusions:
- Systemic inflammation in cancer cachexia is associated with the activation of key complement effector factors.
- The correlations suggest the classical complement pathway may be involved in complement activation in pancreatic cancer patients with cachexia.
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