Cancer cachexia and its pathophysiology: links with sarcopenia, anorexia and asthenia.

J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle

Molecular Oncology and Viral Pathology Group, IPO Porto Research Center (CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto), Porto, Portugal.

Published: June 2020

AI Article Synopsis

  • Cancer cachexia is a syndrome involving significant loss of muscle and fat, leading to inflammation and metabolic issues, which can impair patients' functions and worsen cancer outcomes.
  • It is recognized as a major problem for cancer patients, impacting both their quality of life and the effectiveness of their treatment.
  • Differentiating cancer cachexia from similar conditions like sarcopenia, anorexia, and asthenia is crucial for improving diagnosis and developing effective therapies.

Article Abstract

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, along with adipose tissue wasting, systemic inflammation and other metabolic abnormalities leading to functional impairment. Cancer cachexia has long been recognized as a direct cause of complications in cancer patients, reducing quality of life and worsening disease outcomes. Some related conditions, like sarcopenia (age-related muscle wasting), anorexia (appetite loss) and asthenia (reduced muscular strength and fatigue), share some key features with cancer cachexia, such as weakness and systemic inflammation. Understanding the interplay and the differences between these conditions is critical to advance basic and translational research in this field, improving the accuracy of diagnosis and contributing to finally achieve effective therapies for affected patients.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7296264PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12528DOI Listing

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