Introduction
Cancer, being the primary cause of death in many countries (Lancet Oncology, 2015, p.349), has become a global epidemic (Othman, N., Nor, Z., & Biswal, B. (2008). This genetic disease causes an abnormal growth of cells which accumulate into a tumor (Covan, 2018, p.505) Untreated, the accumulated cells will invade essential organs and impede them to function properly (Covan, 2018, p.505). Treatment, such as chemotherapy, diminishes the invasive cancer cells. This method of treatment kills the unwanted cells in the body with a chemical substance (Covan, 2018, p.506). A variety of drugs are used to combat this disease and effectively fight off cancer. Doxorubicin (Dox) is just one of many used as treatment. This drug is an anthracycline type of chemotherapy which can be used in conjunction with others or alone (Yang, Teves, Kemp, & Henikoff, 2013). This drug is very effective in killing the cancer cells, however, also destroys skeletal muscle. To combat skeletal muscle deterioration, the supplement creatine has shown to aid the negative effects of Dox. Many athletes have used this supplement to improve muscle power output during high-intensity exercise. Creatine supplementation has been shown to amplify the increase in satellite cell number and myonuclei concentration in human skeletal muscle fibers (Louis, Beneden, Dehoux, Thissen, Francaux, 2003). When creatine is taken, it helps produce more of the protein MyoD. The amplification of satellite cells shows to increase myofibrillar proteins.
The figure to the left depicts the start of cancer. The loss of a tumor-suppressor cell indicates that the body will be unable to signal the cell to go through apoptosis or programmed cell death. If the cell does not go through apoptosis, then the cell will continue to replicate and create a tumor. This tumor if not treated may metastasize or spread throughout the entire body.
The figure on the right depicts how skeletal muscle forms through the activation of satellite cells which then differentiate to the point where myoblasts may take place. Myocytes then form into myotubes which make up all skeletal muscle. Below the diagram are listed the proteins which initiate these processes and at what point they take place.
The figure on the right depicts how skeletal muscle forms through the activation of satellite cells which then differentiate to the point where myoblasts may take place. Myocytes then form into myotubes which make up all skeletal muscle. Below the diagram are listed the proteins which initiate these processes and at what point they take place.