Purpose: Patients suffering from heart failure or advanced cancer share clinical symptoms including limited exercise capacity, shortness of breath and early fatigue, and develop skeletal and cardiac muscle atrophy. The systemic effects of cancer on the heart are poorly understood. We investigated molecular and metabolic changes of the heart in a B16F10 melanoma mouse cancer model. Methods: B16F10 melanoma tumor was induced by intraperitoneal implantation of B16F10 cells. Morphological,

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... cal and molecular biological (Western Blot, qRT-PCR) analyses, echocardiography and glucose uptake by FDG-PET were carried out 3 weeks later. Results: Tumor growth was confirmed morphologically and by FDG-PET analysis. Tumor-bearing wildtype (C57BL6) mice displayed cardiac atrophy and high mortality (control: 0% vs tumor mice: 66%, P,0.01, n=17-25). In surviving tumor mice, systolic function was depressed (control, FS: 39% vs tumor mice, FS: 23%, P,0.01, n=9-12) and LV wall thickness was reduced. Total MHC protein was decreased (-30%) while tropomyosin and troponin T level were not altered and no changes in