Longitudinal Study of Autonomic Function and Cancer

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Longitudinal Pilot Study of the Effect of Colorectal Cancer and its Treatment on Autonomic Tone

• IRAS ID

  192442

• Contact name

  Stephen Perring

• Contact email

  steve.perring@poole.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 0 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Summary of Research
  We propose a pilot study to see whether the autonomic nervous system is compromised by cancer or its treatment. We suspect this because other research has indicated a high incidence of autonomic damage in patients with advanced cancer. Also symptoms of cancer and its treatment are very similar to those of patients with autonomic dysfunction. We also wish to see whether any autonomic damage observed is permanent or if it is recoverable if the patient is successfully treated and moves into remission. Patients with colorectal cancer will be assessed for autonomic tone following diagnosis but before treatment, on at least one occasion mid-treatment and following treatment if successful.

  Summary of Results
  We were looking for changes in the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the nerve system that works in the background to control such things as blood pressure and heart rate in order to keep the body functioning normally and the brain fully supplied with blood. We found that there was a clear drop in ANS control during treatment for colorectal cancer. After recovery the ANS control was improved to a significant extent. ANS control was apparently improved after treatment as compared to when the participants were first studied, when they had cancer but had not yet had treatment, though this was not a large enough difference to state categorically it has been proven.
  This suggests the possibility that cancer and its treatment disturbs the ANS to the extent that it contributes to some of the bad symptoms

• REC name

  South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  16/SW/0195

• Date of REC Opinion

  19 Sep 2016

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion