Growth differentiating factor-15 (GDF-15): A potential biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer-associated weight loss
Open accessAbstract
Growth differentiating factor-15 (GDF-15), also known as macrophage inhibiting factor-1, is a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, which has been implicated in cancer-associated weight loss. The present study investigated the association between cancer-associated weight loss and plasma GDF-15 concentration, as well as other biomarkers, in patients with metastatic lung or exocrine pancreatic cancer. A total of 218 patients were enrolled over a 1-year period. The patient cohort included 152 patients with incurable lung cancer and 66 patients with incurable pancreatic cancer. Of the 218 patients, 98 (45%) reported >5% weight loss, 62 (28%) reported ≤5% weight loss and 58 (27%) reported no weight loss in the 6 months prior to diagnosis. In lung cancer patients, higher circulating GDF-15 levels were significantly associated with weight loss; lung cancer patients who reported >5% weight loss (n=56) were found to exhibit twice the circulating concentration of GDF-15 compared with those that exhibited no weight loss (n=48) (P<0.0001). Additional mediators, including Activin A, interleukin (IL)-12, vascular endothelial growth factor A, IL-1 receptor α, eotaxin and platelet derived growth factor-BB, were also associated with weight loss; however, the associations were not as strong. In pancreatic cancer patients, no association between GDF-15 levels and weight loss was identified. However, higher circulating GDF-15 levels were consistently associated with poor survival in univariate [hazard ratio (HR), 1.13; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.23; P=0.016] and multivariate [HR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.02-1.24; P=0.03] analysis, respectively. Thus, GDF-15 requires further study as a biomarker and potential therapeutic target in cancer-associated weight loss, particularly in lung cancer patients.
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Elevated GDF-15 expression and circulating levels correlate with further weight loss and reduced food intake and appetite.
“In addition, elevated GDF-15 expression and circulating levels correlate with further weight loss, reduce food intake and appetite (42, 43, 106).”
From GDF-15 as a Weight Watcher for Diabetic and Non-Diabetic People Treated With Metformin (2020) · cites this paper as [42]
Patients with metastatic lung cancer who reported >5% weight loss had a twofold increase in GDF-15 plasma levels compared to those without weight loss.
“Patients with metastatic lung cancer who reported >5% weight loss were found to exhibit a twofold increase in GDF-15 plasma levels compared to those without weight loss (42).”
From GDF-15 as a Weight Watcher for Diabetic and Non-Diabetic People Treated With Metformin (2020) · cites this paper as [42]
GDF-15 reduces food intake and body weight.
“This gut-brain cytokine works as a prominent player in reducing food intake and body weight in health and disease, like anorexia nervosa and cancer.”
From GDF-15 as a Weight Watcher for Diabetic and Non-Diabetic People Treated With Metformin (2020) · cites this paper as [42]
Higher circulating GDF-15 levels are significantly associated with weight loss in cancer patients.
“Higher circulating GDF-15 levels have been proven to be significantly associated with weight loss in cancer patients (42, 43).”
From GDF-15 as a Weight Watcher for Diabetic and Non-Diabetic People Treated With Metformin (2020) · cites this paper as [42]
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- Authors
- Lerner, L., Gyuris, J., Nicoletti, R., Gifford, J., Krieger, B., & Jatoi, A.
- Affiliations
- AVEO Oncology (United States) (US)
- Mayo Clinic (US)
- Venue
- Oncology Letters
- Publisher
- Spandidos Publications
- Published
- 2016-09-23
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 4219-4223
- ISSN
- 1792-1074 (ISSN-L)
- 1792-1082
- PMC
- PMC5104257
- OpenAlex
- W2522803626
- Cited by
- 55
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 3.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- Oncology Letters (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rheumatology › GDF15 and Related Biomarkers
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors
- Keywords
- biomarkers, therapeutic target, metastatic lung cancer, exocrine pancreatic cancer, survival, activin A, IL-12, VEGF-A, eotaxin, PDGF-BB
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