PhD defence by Rikke Krabek

Muscle loss in patients with gastroesophageal cancer; extent, clinical implications, and exercise-based treatment.

Assessment Committee:
Professor Julie Gehl, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen (Chairperson)
Professor Signe Borgquist, Aarhus University Hospital
Professor Anne May, University Medical Center Utrecht

Supervisors:
Clinical Professor Bente Klarlund Pedersen
Senior Consultant Paul Morten Mau-Sørensen
Gruppeleder, PhD Casper Simonsen
Associate Professor Lykke Sylow

Department:
Department of Clinical Medicine

Graduate Programme:
Clinical Cancer Research

Place:
Mærsk Tower, building 13, Room: Nielsine Nielsen Auditoriet, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N

Email address to gain access to the thesis: cfas.rigshospitalet@regionh.dk 
You will either receive a copy of the thesis or be informed where you can read a physical copy.

Short description of the thesis:
Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by involuntary weight loss and progressive alterations in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, contributing to reduced physical function, impaired treatment tolerance, and poor clinical outcomes. Patients with gastroesophageal cancer are particularly vulnerable to these changes, yet their development and clinical significance remain incompletely understood. This PhD thesis investigates longitudinal changes in body composition in patients with gastroesophageal cancer and examines their associations with survival, treatment outcomes, and systemic inflammation. Furthermore, it evaluates the potential of exercise and nutritional interventions to mitigate adverse body composition changes. By advancing our understanding of cancer-associated wasting, this work contributes to the evidence base for improving supportive care and clinical management of patients with gastroesophageal cancer.