Muscle Aging Phenotypes in Childhood Cancer Survivors
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Summary
Childhood cancer survivors experience premature declines in muscle mass, strength, and physical function that contribute to morbidity and early mortality. The biological mechanisms driving these impairments are heterogeneous and poorly understood. This observational study aims to characterize distinct muscle health endotypes in adult survivors of childhood cancer using advanced imaging, neuromuscular testing, and functional assessment. Survivors with reduced muscle health and community controls will undergo multimodal magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, nerve conduction studies, surface electromyography, body composition assessment, and physical performance testing during a single study visit integrated into an ongoing cohort evaluation. Identifying mechanistic endotypes of impaired muscle health will support development of targeted interventions to preserve function and improve long-term outcomes in childhood cancer survivors. Primary Objective: \- Characterize reduced muscle health endotypes in childhood cancer survivors. Secondary Objective: \- Identify specific treatment and lifestyle related risk factors for each reduced muscle health endotype. Exploratory Objective: \- Host germline genetics will be associated with specific muscle endotypes.
Description
Survivors of childhood cancer are at increased risk for early-onset frailty characterized by low lean mass, muscle weakness, and impaired physical function. Prior studies in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort (SJLIFE) demonstrate that the prevalence of these impairments increases with age and is associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality. Traditional lifestyle and resistance training interventions have yielded only modest benefits, suggesting that superficially similar muscle phenotypes may be driven by distinct biological mechanisms. Potential contributors to impaired muscle health i…