CET Time zone (UTC +1)
Exploring Sarcopenia and Cachexia: Multidisciplinary Perspectives
Welcome to the first day of our Annual Conference on Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Wasting Disorders. Discover world-renowned experts to discuss the latest research and advancements in the field.
BASIC SCIENCE
Session A
09:30-10:45
Metropolitan ballroom
New and established mouse models for the study of cancer cachexia
Chairs: TBN
Atrophy-independent mechanisms of muscle weakness during ovarian cancer
Christopher Perry, Canada
Bedside to bench: modeling cachexia in different cancer patient trajectories
Fabio Penna, Italy
Mitochondrial dysfunctions in pancreatic cancer cachexia
TBN
New insights on head and neck cancer cachexia
Andrea Bonetto, USA
Chairs & Speakers
Stefan Anker, Germany
Vickie Baracos, Germany
11:00-12:15
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
BASIC SCIENCE
Session B
The role of the liver in cancer cachexia
Chairs: TBN
Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) suppresses hepatic de novo lipogenesis and induces cachexia
Wenwei Hu, USA
Dysfunction of hepatic metabolism in cancer cachexia
Laure Bindels, Belgium
Genomic liver profiling identifies hepatokines promoting tissue wasting in cancer cachexia
Doris Kaltenecker, Germany
Regulation of hepatic amino acid metabolism
TBN
DUPONT BALLROOM
GENERAL CACHEXIA
Session C
Muscle wasting and osteosarcopenia: the role of the immune system
Chairs: TBN
RAGE expressed by myofibers sustains systemic and muscle inflammation
Guglielmo Sorci, Italy
Skeletal muscle aging: the immune landscape
TBN
Targeting muscle and bone marrow fat to treat osteosarcopenia
TBN
The geroscience framework for osteosarcopenia: mechanistic insights and clinical implications
Gustavo Duque, Canada
BREAK
12:15-12:50
Lunch Break
Industry Session
12:00-12:45
Metropolitan ballroom
Keynote Industry Lecture
MRI-based quantification of muscle mass and myosteatosis as biomarkers for clinical trials and sarcopenia assessment
Olof Dahlqvist Leinhard, Sweden
Key Topics Addressed
– Standardization and validation of MRI-based muscle mass and myosteaotosis measurement for use in multi-site clinical trials
– Body size as a major confounder for sarcopenia assessment
– How combined assessment of muscle mass and myosteatosis improves link to outcomes & function
– MRI based muscle assessment as end-point in clinical trials, experiences from recent GLP-1 and neuromuscular dystrophy trials
Supported by AMRA Medical
Opening Session
Session D
13:00-14:00
Metropolitan ballroom
Opening Session
Welcome
“Prometheus” basic science key note lecture: GDF15 from bench to bedside
Samuel Breit, Australia
“Hippocrates” clinical science key note lecture
Aminah Jatoi, USA
JCSM & SCWD lecture
Coffee Break
14:00-14:15
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
BASIC SCIENCE
Session E
14:15-15:30
Titin and cachexia – organs specific regulation and genetics
Chairs: TBN
The myocardium
TBN
The skeletal muscle
Beatrice Vahle, Germany
The diaphragm
TBN
Titin (and similar) as biomarker
TBN
DUPONT BALLROOM
GENERAL SARCOPENIA
Session F
14:15-15:30
Multidimensional biomarkers of aging: molecular, functional, and social hallmarks of frailty
Chairs: TBN
Physical performance metrics as biomarkers of frailty phenotypes
TBN
Sociobiological pathways linking psychosocial stressors to frailty: social determinants as emerging biomarkers
TBN
Blood-based signatures of frailty
Riccardo Calvani, Italy
GDF-15 as biomarker: state of the art
TBN
Coffee Break
15:30-16:30
WEST END & THOMAS ROOMS
POSTER SESSION
Poster Session 1
15:35-16:25
Poster session 1.1 Cachexia – mechanisms, basic
Posters 1-01 to 1-09 and 1-12
Chairs: Denis Guttridge, Sarah Lockie
Poster session 1.2 Cancer cachexia I
Posters 3-01 to 3-12
Chairs: Andrea Bonetto, Tobias Janowitz
Poster session 1.3 Diagnosis of cachexia
Posters 4-01 to 4-11
Chairs: Yi-Ping Li, Ishan Roy
Poster session 1.4 Muscle wasting & sarcopenia I
Posters 6-01 to 6-08
Chairs: Peggy Cawthon, Bill Evans
Poster session 1.5 Nutrition & appetite
Posters 7-01 to 7-07
Chairs: Adrian Slee, Paula Ravasco
Poster session 1.6 Physical activity & training
Posters 8-01 to 8-06
Chairs: Volker Adams, Julian Alcazar
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
ABSTRACT SESSION
Rapid Fire Abstracts Session 1
15:35-16:25
Chairs: Mauricio Berriel Diaz, Germany & Andrea Graziani, Italy
Optimization of a mouse model of pancreatic cancer to simulate the human phenotypes of metastasis and cachexia (1-10)
Victoria Spadafora, USA
Differential impact of chemotherapy and cachexia in a preclinical colorectal cancer model: a comparative analysis of 5-FU, paclitaxel, and cisplatin by biological sex (1-11)
Regina Cabrera , USA
Pilot study of urine titin N-fragment in dogs with naturally-occurring cardiac cachexia (1-22)
Lisa Freeman, USA
Novel genetic variants in DRAIC and RFX3 confer risk for weight loss in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2-01)
Joe W. Chiles, UK
Mutual de-differentiation of adipocytes and tumor cells in the macroenvironment of pancreatic cancer cachexia (2-09)
Sephora Jean, USA
ASCA101 as innovative multi-target therapeutic drug for cancer cachexia (10-07)
Minhyuk Yun, South Korea
Dual targeting of Y5 and ghrelin receptors: a new strategy for treating cancer cachexia (10-10)
Jenna Hunt, Denmark
Pharmacological inhibition of USP-19 attenuates cancer cachexia-induced muscle atrophy (10-12)
Vignesh Karthikaisamy, Germany
Bimagrumab prevents semaglutide-induced muscle mass loss in diet-induced obese mice (10-13)
Morten Lundh, Denmark
Loss of hindlimb muscle mass does not explain the loss of lean mass in semaglutide-treated mice (10-14)
Takuya Karasawa, USA
16:30-17:45
DUPONT BALLROOM
NUTRITION AND METABOLISM
Session G
Targeting metabolic storm: from nutrients to clinical practice
Chairs: TBN
Protocoled individualised nutrition intervention in advanced cancer: a medical oncology experience
TBN
Nutrition as a co-therapy in pharmacological cancer cachexia trials: a must?
Barry Laird, UK
Sustaining the muscle, sustaining the environment: is plant protein the key?
TBN
New insights into DHA supplementation in breast cancer
Alessio Molfino, Italy
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
GENERAL SARCOPENIA
Session H
Update on clinical muscle research 2025
Chairs: TBN
What is skeletal muscle quality?
TBN
What is the role of body composition in diagnosing obesity and sarcopenic obesity?
Manfred James Müller, Germany
Is there a “gold standard” method for measuring skeletal muscle mass
Steve Heymsfield, USA
Why do we need muscle / fat biopsies in 2025
TBN
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
17:45-18:30 SYMPOSIUM
Innovations in cancer cachexia
Moderators: Stefan Anker, Germany & Andrew Coats, Australia
Cancer cachexia: new pharmacological approaches
Richard Skipworth, UK
Are patients reported outcomes meaningful endpoints in cachexia trials?
Stacie Hudgens, USA
Innovation in cancer cachexia: S-pindolol a new therapeutic approach
Andrew Coats, Australia
Discussion
Symposium supported by Actimed Therapeutics
Register Now!
Embrace this opportunity to redefine the field and create lasting impact in the lives of patients worldwide.
Day 2: Friday, 12 December 2025
Comprehensive Exploration of Cancer Cachexia and Aging-Related Sarcopenia
Discover the second day of our programme, dedicated to exploring the complexities of cancer cachexia and aging-related sarcopenia. With a stellar lineup of international experts presenting their latest research and engaging in insightful panel discussions
CAREER CAFÉ
08:00-08:50
Ken Fearon Career Café
(attendance upon application and confirmation)
09:00-10:15
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
CANCER CACHEXIA
Session I
Cancer cachexia: new insights
Chairs: TBN
Sex differences in the skeletal muscle-aging trajectory of energy metabolism
Jaap Keijer, The Netherlands
The role of the exosome in cancer cachexia
Marilia Seelaender, Brazil
Chronological vs biological age: implications for cachexia
Alessandro Laviano, Italy
Mitochondrial dysfunction in colon cancer: already occurring in the primary-stage to further worsen in liver metastasis
Klaske van Norren, The Netherlands
DUPONT BALLROOM
THERAPEUTICS / GENERAL CACHEXIA
Session J
A short history of trial endpoints that could be approvable for cachexia indications
Chairs: TBN
EORTC QLQ 30 and its physical functioning domain and EORTC-QLQ-C15-PAL
Markus Anker, Germany
EORTC QLQ-CAX24
TBN
Stair Climb Power Test and 6 Minute Walking Test distance
TBN
Morbidity & mortality outcomes
Tim Friede, Germany
Coffee Break
10:15-11:15
WEST END & THOMAS ROOMS
POSTER SESSION
Poster Session 2
10:20-11:10
Poster session 2.1 Cachexia – mechanisms, animal models II
Posters 1-10 to 1-11 and 1-13 to 1-22
Chairs: Denis Guttridge, Sarah Lockie
Poster session 2.2 Cancer cachexia II
Posters 3-34 to 3-42
Chairs: Joanne Reid, Florian Strasser
Poster session 2.3 Diagnosis of sarcopenia I
Posters 5-05 to 5-12
Chairs: Richard Skipworth, Faisal Beg
Poster session 2.4 Muscle wasting & sarcopenia – mechanisms II
Posters 6-16 to 6-24
Chairs: Peggy Cawthon, Bill Evans
Poster session 2.5 Therapeutic development (clinical)
Posters 9-01 to 9-11
Chairs: Nicholas Brisson, Tobias Winkler
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
ABSTRACT SESSION
Rapid Fire Abstracts Session 2
10:20-11:10
Chairs: Elke Dworatzek, Germany & Wei Yan, China
Improved immune response and energy metabolism in the C26 tumor-bearing mice exposed to IL4 (3-03)
Giacomo Rubini, Italy
The dynamic role of cardiac-infiltrating neutrophils in pancreatic cancer-induced cardiac dysfunction (3-05)
Aaron Grossberg, USA
Impact of the emerging cancer cachexia-biomarker TIMP-1 on the liver (3-18)
Vanessa Brunner, Germany
Cancer Cachexia epidemiological landscape: lifetime prevalence and severity of cachexia in a population-based longitudinal study (3-21)
Bhumi Bhatt, Canada
Adiposity specific micrornas in cancer patients: analysis of plasma levels according to fat distribution assessed by CT-scan (3-25)
Federica Tambaro, Italy
Increased nivolumab clearance correlates with elevated GDF15 serum levels in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (3-29)
Wouter van de Worp, The Netherlands
Identifying pretreatment blood metabolic markers associated with weight loss in head and neck cancer patients (3-33)
Ronald Eldridge, USA
Practical cancer nutrition, from guidelines to clinical practice: the mypath® project (7-01)
Barry Laird, UK
Differences on the prevalence of anorexia and clinical manifestations in patients with solid and hematological tumors who attend a tertiary care hospital from 2023 to 2024 (7-03)
María del Pilar Milke García, Mexico
Intermittent hypoxic-hyperoxic training during inpatient rehabilitation improves exercise capacity and functional outcome in patients with long COVID: results of a controlled clinical pilot trial (8-06)
Wolfram Doehner, Germany
11:15-12:30
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
BASIC SCIENCE
Session K
Novel insights into muscle wasting mechanisms
Chairs: TBN
Single-nucleus multi-omics analysis of skeletal muscle atrophy in cancer cachexia
TBN
Tumor-derived ADAMTSL4 drives muscle atrophy and fibrosis in cancer cachexia
Mauricio Berriel Diaz, Germany
BMP signaling and denervation promote muscle wasting in cancer cachexia
Marco Sandri, Italy
The role of skeletal muscle fibrosis in cancer cachexia
Andrew R. Judge, USA
DUPONT BALLROOM
GENERAL CACHEXIA
Session L
Recent advances in cachexia. Research in chronic illness – update 2025
Chairs: TBN
COPD cachexia
Annemie Schols, The Netherlands
CKD cachexia
Angela Wang, Hong Kong
Heart failure with cachexia
TBN
Cancer cachexia
Egidio DelFabbro, USA
Break
12:45-13:30
Lunch Break
symposium
12:45-13:30
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
GDF-15 inhibition: evolving insights
Chairs: Jeffrey Crawford, USA & Stefan Anker, Germany
Introductory remarks
Jeffrey Crawford, USA & Stefan Anker, Germany
Biological basis for GDF-15 inhibition
Danna Breen, USA
Potential therapeutic approaches to inhibiting GDF-15 in cancer cachexia and heart failure
John Groarke, USA
Q&A
Symposium supported by Pfizer
13:45-15:00
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
BASIC SCIENCE
Session M
Signaling pathways in cachexia
Chairs: TBN
Emerging signaling mediators in cancer cachexia
Denis Guttridge, USA
The NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway in CKD cachexia
Robert Mak, USA
IL-6 antibody therapy for heart failure
TBN
Immunopathology in COPD cachexia
TBN
DUPONT BALLROOM
GENERAL SARCOPENIA
Session N
GLP1-based therapy and skeletal muscle wasting
Chairs: TBN
Changes to muscle mass during weight cycling
Paul Titchenell, USA
Muscle function during pharmacological and physiological weight loss in humans
Philip Atherton, UK
The effect of GLP-1RA on muscle loss during immobilization
Henning Langer, Germany
Pharmacological improvements in weight regain
David Glass, USA
Coffee Break
15:00-16:00
WEST END & THOMAS ROOMS
POSTER SESSION
Poster Session 3
15:05-15:55
Poster session 3.1 Cachexia – mechanisms, basic
Posters 2-01 to 2-11
Chairs: Nicholas Greene, Andrew Judge
Poster session 3.2 Cancer cachexia III
Posters 3-13 to 3-23
Chairs: Joanne Reid, Florian Strasser
Poster session 3.3 Diagnosis of sarcopenia II
Posters 5-01 to 5-04 and 5-13 to 5-15
Chairs: Faisal Beg, Richard Skipworth
Poster session 3.4 Muscle wasting & sarcopenia III
Posters 6-25 to 6-32
Chairs: Wolfram Doehner, Sabbah Hussain
Poster session 3.5 Therapeutic development (pre-clinical) I
Posters 10-01 to 10-07
Chairs: Paola Costelli, Jeffrey Crawford
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
ABSTRACT SESSION
Rapid Fire Abstracts Session 3
15:05-15:55
Chairs: Gustavo Duque, Canada & Reshma Merchant, Singapore
Associations of low lean mass by EWGSOP2, FNIH and EASO/ESPEN and MRI muscle composition with all-cause mortality across BMI classes (5-05)
Jennifer Linge, Sweden
Comparing predictive ability of sarcopenia definitions using muscle ultrasound for clinical outcomes among older inpatients (5-10)
Nicola Merz, Switzerland
Assessing the validity of serological biomarkers in estimating muscle mass: a retrospective cross-sectional NHANES analysis (5-12)
Christian Arias, USA
AMPK in skeletal muscle as a therapeutic target for sarcopenic obesity (6-07)
Haiming Kerr, USA
The role of hepatokines in MASLD associated muscle wasting (6-13)
Amy Rose Fumo, Germany
MyoMed-205 counteracts titin hyper-phosphorylation, muscle dysfunction and atrophy in an animal model of HFpEF (6-14)
Beatrice Vahle, Germany
Angiotensin type 2 receptor deficiency exacerbates physical decline and cardiac muscle wasting in aged mice (6-15)
Michael Abadir, USA
Radiation reduces fibro/adipogenic progenitor-derived follistatin-like 1 to impair myoblast differentiation (6-16)
Cooper Brabrook, Canada
Impact of Ilk1 and Fermt2 AAV-mediated knockdown on sepsis-induced muscle weakness (6-17)
Alexander Pacolet, Belgium
Effect of caffeine consumption in patients undergoing immunotherapy for melanoma and lung cancer (7-06)
Paula Ravasco, Portugal
16:00-17:15
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
GENERAL SARCOPENIA
Session O
Neuromuscular disorders in the critically ill
Chairs: TBN
Neuromuscular disorders in the ICU in 2025
Joerg Schefold, Switzerland
ICU-acquired weakness: are we creating survivors or victims?
Stefan Schaller, Austria
Critical illness induced muscular disorders: therapeutic potential
Lars Larsson, Sweden
Sarcopenia of uncertain pathogenesis: the case of systemic sclerosis (SSc)
TBN
DUPONT BALLROOM
THERAPEUTICS
Session P
Weight loss drugs and cardiovascular health
Chairs: TBN
GLP1-based therapy and cardiac wasting
Stefan Anker, Germany
Impact of resistance exercise on muscle wasting in obesity therapy
TBN
The Veru experience
Mitch Steiner, USA
The Actimed experience
Andrew Coats, Australia
Break
17:15-17:30
Break
17:30-18:45
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
BASIC SCIENCE
Session Q
Muscle and aging and disease: organ crosstalk across the life course
Chairs: TBN
Skeletal muscle transcriptome in myogenesis and aging
TBN
Muscle-brain axis, exercise and nutrition
Emanuele Marzetti, Italy
Mechanism regulating energy expenditure and potential role of GDF15
Gregory Steinberg, Canada
Circadian rhythm regulation of cancer cachexia
TBN
DUPONT BALLROOM
GENERAL SARCOPENIA
Session R
Hot issues in clinical research
Chairs: TBN
How to use AI as a tool in cachexia research?
TBN
Panel discussion
22 minutes
Unifying the sarcopenia terminology – primary / secondary / tertiary sarcopenia
TBN
Panel discussion
22 minutes
Register Now!
Embrace this opportunity to redefine the field and create lasting impact in the lives of patients worldwide.
Day 3: Saturday 13 December 2025
Exploring the Intricacies of Muscle Wasting and Microbiome in Cancer Cachexia
Day three of our programme plunges us into the intricacies of muscle wasting and the microbiome’s influence in cancer cachexia. We are pleased to present a distinguished gathering of international experts, eager to share their groundbreaking research and partake in dynamic discussions.
08:00-09:15
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
AWARD SESSION
Session R
Young Investigators Award Session
Chairs: TBD
DUPONT BALLROOM
BASIC SCIENCE
Session S
Progress in modelling skeletal muscle biology and pathology
Chairs: TBN
A 3D-tissue-engineering toolbox to model skeletal muscle pathology
Pim Pijnappel, The Netherlands
Incorporation of macrophages into engineered skeletal muscle models
TBN
Innervation of 3D cultured skeletal muscle
Anna Urciuolo, Italy
Role of substrate composition in muscle cell biology
TBN
09:30-10:45
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
NUTRITION & METABOLISM
Session T
Update on substrates in muscle-wasting conditions
Chairs: TBD
Integrated evaluation of body composition in the oncology setting: paradigm change
David Dias, Portugal
Nutrition, microbiome and cancer response to treatments
Paula Ravasco, Portugal
Immunonutrition in cancer: body of evidence, feasibility and limits
TBN
NutrimiRomics: how close we are?
TBN
DUPONT BALLROOM
GENERAL SARCOPENIA
Session U
Organ and cell crosstalk in cancer cachexia
Chairs: TBN
Contribution of the endothelium to adipose tissue loss in cancer cachexia
Andreas Fischer, Germany
The tumor-bone-muscle axis in cancer cachexia
TBN
The RNA-binding protein HuR impairs adipose tissue anabolism in pancreatic cancer cachexia
Paige Arneson-Wissink, USA
The critical role of the ovary in colorectal cancer and treatment-induced cachexia
James Carson, USA
Coffee Break
10:45-11:45
POSTER SESSION
10:50-11:40
west end & thomas rooms
Poster Session 4
LATE BREAKING
Session V
11:45-13:00
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
Late Breaking Trials/Science
Chairs: TBN
Break
13:00-13:45
Lunch Break
Symposium
12:45-13:20
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
Diagnosing and reporting cachexia: Where are we?
Chairs: Stefan Anker, Germany, & Andrew Coats, Australia
How to diagnose cachexia in 2025
Stephan von Haehling, Germany
Cachexia coding: facts, numbers, and challenges
Mitja Lainscak, Slovenia
How to increase awareness about body wasting and cachexia
Wolfram Doehner, Germany
Symposium supported by Splošna bolnišnica Murska Sobota
13:45-15:00
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
THERAPEUTICS
Session W
Cachexia care in the last year of life
Chairs: TBN
Optimising nutrition during systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT)
Alessandro Laviano, Italy
Impact of cachexia on patients and caregivers – patient perspective
Joanne Reid, UK
Corticosteroids in cachexia care: who, where, when?
TBN
Nutritional impact symptoms: elephants in the room
TBN
DUPONT BALLROOM
THERAPEUTICS
Session X
Novel strategies to address sarcopenia while treating obesity – round table discussion
Chairs: TBN
Myostatin and activin inhibitors as a treatment for sarcopenia in obese patients
Steven Heymsfield, USA
GHSR1a antagonism for sarcopenic obesity
Jose Garcia, USA
Enobosarm
TBN
Impact of the ACTA s-pindolol on muscle mass during and after GLP1-RA therapy
TBN
Targeting mitochondria to prevent sarcopenic obesity
TBN
Regulatory perspective
TBN
Panel discussion
30 minutes
HIGHLIGHTS
15:00-16:00
METROPOLITAN BALLROOM
Highlights Session
Chairs: TBN
Basic Science
TBN
Nutrition
TBN
Sarcopenia
TBN
Cancer Cachexia
TBN
Awards Ceremony
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