Microbiota and Pancreatic Cancer Cachexia

Inclusion criteria

Patients with pancreatic cancer (n=12) • ≥18 years and • Newly diagnosed of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (local or metastatic) and • Tube feeding or parenteral nutrition ≤ 14 days Cachectic pancreatic cancer patients (n=6) • Cachexia according to the Fearon criteria 1: involuntary weight loss \>5% over the last 6 months, or any level of weight loss \>2% and a BMI \<20 kg/m2 or sarcopenia. Sarcopenia will be diagnosed by BIA (fat-free mass index is \<17 kg/m2 in men and \<15 kg/m2 in women) 81, and not by CT, as it is faster and can be performed at the bedside of the patient. Non-cachectic pancreatic cancer patients (n=6) • Normal nutritional state: weight stability (± 2% of habitual weight) over the last 6 months, no anorexia before the diagnosis (appetite rating on a visual analogue scale of 100mm), no known impaired glucose tolerance. Healthy matched subjects (n=12) • ≥18 years and • BMI between 18.5 and 30 kg/m2 and • Absence of chronic or acute disease and • Matching for gender and age (± 5 years) with an included pancreatic cancer patient