Muscle Aging Phenotypes in Childhood Cancer Survivors

Summary

Childhood cancer survivors experience premature declines in muscle mass, strength, and physical function that contribute to morbidity and early mortality. The biological mechanisms driving these impairments are heterogeneous and poorly understood. This observational study aims to characterize distinct muscle health endotypes in adult survivors of childhood cancer using advanced imaging, neuromuscular testing, and functional assessment. Survivors with reduced muscle health and community controls will undergo multimodal magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, nerve conduction studies, surface electromyography, body composition assessment, and physical performance testing during a single study visit integrated into an ongoing cohort evaluation. Identifying mechanistic endotypes of impaired muscle health will support development of targeted interventions to preserve function and improve long-term outcomes in childhood cancer survivors.

Primary Objective:

\- Characterize reduced muscle health endotypes in childhood cancer survivors.

Secondary Objective:

\- Identify specific treatment and lifestyle related risk factors for each reduced muscle health endotype.

Exploratory Objective:

\- Host germline genetics will be associated with specific muscle endotypes.

Conditions

• Muscle Weakness
• Low Muscle Mass
• Sarcopenia

Interventions

OTHER

Multimodal Muscle Imaging and Functional Assessment

Participants undergo comprehensive muscle phenotyping, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess muscle cross-sectional area and fat fraction; magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H MRS and ³¹P MRS) to evaluate skeletal muscle mitochondrial energetics; body composition assessment using dual energy X ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA); nerve conduction velocity testing; surface electromyography (EMG); and standardized physical performance testing.

OTHER

Multimodal Muscle Imaging and Neuromuscular Assessment

Participants complete advanced neuromuscular and imaging assessments, including MRI-based evaluation of muscle structure and fat infiltration; magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess mitochondrial oxidative metabolism; DXA and BIA for lean mass measurement; nerve conduction studies; surface electromyography during submaximal and maximal muscle activation; and physical function testing, performed during a single study visit.

OTHER

Comprehensive Muscle Phenotyping

Participants undergo protocol-defined observational assessments including MRI and MRS of skeletal muscle, body composition analysis via DXA and BIA, neuromuscular testing with nerve conduction velocity and surface electromyography, and functional performance evaluations to characterize muscle health and underlying biological mechanisms.

OTHER

Integrated Neuromuscular and Imaging Evaluation

Participants receive integrated phenotyping of muscle health using multimodal MRI and MRS imaging, neuromuscular testing with EMG and nerve conduction velocity, body composition assessment, and standardized physical performance measures to identify muscle aging endotypes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Kirsten Ness, PhD · St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-05-31

Primary Completion

2030-05-31

Completion

2031-05-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations