Funding outcome

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world. At present, more than 760,000 women have the disease. This is the female cancer with the highest rate of malnutrition. Malnutrition is related to muscle loss. In cancer, low muscle mass leads to poor outcomes and lower survival. To help prevent this, we have to know energy metabolism (how our body makes energy using the foods we eat). With that, we can understand women's energy needs during and after treatment so dietitians can promote adequate intake which will improve their outcomes. We currently know little about energy needs of people with this disease. Guidelines stand on non-specific values. Also, we do not know if needs of ovarian cancer survivors differs from that of health women. Once cured, they have lasting effects from disease and treatment, which are not considered when estimating their energy needs. As such, potential changes in needs during and beyond cancer treatment are currently ignored. I will study energy metabolism and its change before and after treatment. I will recruit patients at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and Cross Cancer Institute. I will invite them to the Human Nutrition Research Unit to measure their energy metabolism with modern techniques. I will compare the calories they burn with the calories they ate and associate that with changes in muscle mass during cancer treatment. I will also study inflammation using patients' medical records. Additionally, I will validate a simple and quick technique that can be used in clinical settings to estimate energy needs of people at risk for malnutrition. I believe that energy needs are diverse over the disease treatment and that recommendations need to be adjusted accordingly. This knowledge can impact the way we care for women with ovarian cancer ultimately improving guidelines and their health.