Functional Assessment of Therapy Tools for Cancer Cachexia: A Review

Abstract

Cachexia is a multifactorial and multi-organ condition that increases the mortality rate of patients with advanced cancer. Amelioration of cancer patients’ weight loss and inflammatory status are critical to the treatment’s success. Cachexia contains a significant drop in body weight and a rapid loss of lipoprotein, accompanied by an inflammatory state. In the late stage of cancer, anorexia and cachexia may occur at the same time, a condition called anorexia and cachexia syndrome. Keeping abreast of the patient’s inflammatory and nutritional status is of utmost importance for optimal treatment. This review explores the contribution of nutrient changes and the novel biomarker proteins in anorexia and cachexia syndrome. Functional assessment using anorexia and cachexia therapy assessment tools can monitor and provide early signals for anorexia and cachexia syndrome and suggest mechanism-based interventions to improve the status of cachexia with appropriate nutrients or drugs.