Dercum's Disease

Muscle mass loss is a common and serious problem in people with cancer, especially in those with metastatic lung cancer. This condition, called cancer cachexia, involves involuntary weight loss and affects up to 80% of such patients. Researchers are investigating the molecular causes of muscle and fat loss, hormone sensitivity, and the role of exercise in potentially restoring muscle function and improving quality of life for both patients and their caregivers. The study aims to fill important gaps in knowledge about cancer cachexia and its impact on health and survival. The study includes three parts: first, examining hormone sensitivity and physical performance in patients with lung cancer undergoing their first type of cancer treatment; second, analyzing changes in muscle, fat, and blood samples to understand disease progression; and third, testing an exercise program involving supervised single-leg kicking training for 8 weeks to see if it can improve muscle signaling and function. Control subjects matched for age, weight, gender, and activity level will also participate in the exercise intervention. Participants will undergo assessments including muscle mass and disease outcome measurements after 12 weeks, insulin sensitivity testing at 8 weeks, and surveys on quality of life. Muscle and tissue samples will be collected to study molecular changes. The study will monitor physical function, hormone sensitivity, and patient-reported outcomes to understand the effects of cancer and exercise over time. Total participation duration varies with study parts but includes multiple visits for testing and training sessions.

Researchers are collecting data from adults with neuromuscular disorders who are not currently enrolled in other NIH studies. This observational study aims to build a repository of information to help generate future research hypotheses and improve understanding of various neuromuscular conditions. It also supports training programs for clinical neurophysiology fellows and keeps medical staff updated on a wide range of neuromuscular diseases. Participants will visit the NIH EMG Lab for evaluation using standard neurophysiological tests such as electromyography (EMG), autonomic nervous system testing, and neuromuscular ultrasound as needed. Additional assessments may include nerve conduction studies, sweat function tests, heart rate and blood pressure monitoring, and breathing or body position changes. These procedures are part of standard care and diagnostic evaluation. Each participant will have one or two visits lasting less than four hours each. During visits, physical exams and various assessments will be performed to evaluate nerve and muscle function. Data from participants will be stored securely with unique identifiers for future research use. Participants may be contacted for follow-up visits, and the primary goal is to create a valuable information repository over a 10-year period.

Researchers are studying brown fat, a type of fat found in both children and adults that produces heat and helps regulate metabolism and energy use. This study aims to understand differences between brown fat and the more common white fat, to help develop new ways to improve metabolism and address metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes. The study will analyze fat tissue at the cellular level using advanced imaging and RNA sequencing techniques. Participants undergoing planned abdominal or other surgeries will have samples of their fat tissue collected during these procedures. Fat will be taken from various body areas depending on the surgery, including neck, supraclavicular, perinephric, omental, and paraspinal fat. Blood samples will also be collected to measure markers related to fat function and metabolism. The collected tissues and blood will be analyzed for genetic and metabolic characteristics. Participants will be evaluated through tissue biopsies and blood tests taken during their clinical procedures. Researchers will measure insulin resistance, blood sugar levels, body mass index, and other demographic and biological markers to study fat tissue differences. The data will contribute to a larger Human Cell Atlas project. The study involves healthy adults aged 18 to 75 years, with a total participation time linked to their scheduled clinical procedures.