Role of BMI and BMI-Adjusted Weight Loss in Cancer Cachexia BMI plays an important role in assessing cancer cachexia because it helps us understand how serious a patient’s weight loss really is. The same percentage of weight loss has very different meanings depending on where a patient starts. For example, losing 3% of body…

Pre-Cachexia, Cachexia and Refractory Cachexia Cancer cachexia progresses through three distinct clinical stages, each with increasing severity. 1. Pre-cachexia This is where the earliest signs appear. Patients may have mild, unintentional weight loss, reduced appetite, and changes in metabolism, especially glucose handling. It’s subtle and often missed, but this stage offers the best…

Cancer Cachexia WeightLoss Expalined It all starts with the tumor. Tumor cells release several inflammatory cytokines—mainly TNF-alpha, IL-1, IL-6, and IL-8. These cytokines circulate throughout the body and trigger a chain reaction that disrupts normal metabolism. One major target is the skeletal muscle. These cytokines activate pathways that increase proteolysis—meaning the muscle starts breaking down…

Cancer Cachexia Explained Cancer cachexia affects approximately 70% of all cancer patients and is responsible for up to 22% of cancer-related deaths. It is a syndrome characterized by weight loss and muscle loss, which may occur with or without fat loss. This condition is multifactorial and is driven by a combination of reduced food…