Cancer Cachexia and Nutrition

Abstract

Cancer is a fatal disease increasingly widespread in societies. Being the most common complication of cancer, ‘cancer cachexia’ is an important reason of the cancer-related deaths. Cancer cachexia is defined as a multifactorial syndrome defined by an ongoing loss of skeletal muscle mass (with or without loss of fat mass) that cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutritional support. As total, 20% of cancer-related deaths are directly caused by malnutrition and cachexia. In cancerinduced cachexia, changes in carbohydrate (CHO), fat and protein metabolism, atrophy or hypertrophy of skeletal muscle and internal organs are observed in addition to the excessive weight loss, anorexia, asthenia and anemia. Taste, smell and gastrointestinal system (GIS) disorders, nutritional and anabolic deficiencies, antineoplastic drugs and especially cytokines as catabolic factors have important effects on progression of cachexia. It is considered that the increase in Resting Energy Expenditure (REE), which can not be replaced by dietary intake also plays a role in this process. In the treatment of cancer cachexia, some nutritional interventions aiming at modulating inflammation may result in improved response to pharmacological anti-cancer therapies. Additionally, enteral and parenteral nutrition support improves nutritional status by providing an increase in appetite and energy intake. By preventing muscle loss, amino acid solutions can make the treatment of cachexia easier. Furthermore, some nutrients have importance for enzymatic and nonenzymatic defense systems, which is against for the kemoradioterapy-induced oxidative stres. The measurements about cancer cachexia should be completed at an early stage of the disease, which may improve functions and quality of patient’s life by multidisciplinary approach.