Impact of prior alcohol use on the subsequent development of cancer cachexia in male and female mice.

Background: Alcohol is a carcinogen and its intake prior to developing cancer and throughout its duration exacerbates cancer cachexia in rodent models. However, the effects on cancer cachexia of stopping alcohol prior to tumor establishment are unknown.

Methods: Male and female mice consumed either a nonalcohol control liquid diet (CON) or a 20% ethanol (kcal/day) liquid diet (EtOH) for 6 weeks.