Developments in the Fight against Cancer Cachexia

Cachexia is a wasting syndrome in which both fat and muscle are lost due to the presence of tumor or inflammation. It implies a state of profound nutritional deficiency. This word is derived from the Greek words kakos meaning bad, and hexis meaning condition. This term is most often used to describe patients with chronic or end stage diseases such as cancer, AIDS, or cystic fibrosis. Affected patients lose weight and appetite and as a result become weak and fatigued. Drastic losses of body mass may lead to alterations in metabolic functions such as electrolyte balance.