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 aged 18 and older who visit the NIH for evaluation of neuromuscular disorders. This study is observational and designed to gather information on patients who are not currently enrolled in any active NIH studies. The goal is to build a repository of data that can be used for future research to better understand neuromuscular diseases and improve diagnostic capabilities. Participants will undergo standard diagnostic procedures in the EMG Lab, including neurophysiological studies such as EMG, autonomic nervous system testing, and neuromuscular ultrasound as needed. These tests assess nerve and muscle function, sweat gland activity, heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and body posture changes. The study may involve one to two visits, each lasting less than four hours, with the possibility of follow-up visits. During the study, participants will have a physical exam and their medical records reviewed. Data collected will be assigned a unique number to protect privacy and stored securely for future research use. The primary outcome is creating a comprehensive data repository over 10 years. The study also supports training for clinical neurophysiology fellows and may help refer patients to future treatment protocols. Participant involvement is limited to scheduled visits and assessments without any experimental treatment.

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.