Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 1696: Updates in Cancer Cachexia: Clinical Management and Pharmacologic Interventions

Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 1696: Updates in Cancer Cachexia: Clinical Management and Pharmacologic Interventions Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers16091696 Authors: Sudeep Pandey Lauren Bradley Egidio Del Fabbro Despite a better understanding of the mechanisms causing cancer cachexia (CC) and development of promising pharmacologic and supportive care interventions, CC persists as an underdiagnosed and undertreated condition. CC contributes to fatigue, poor quality of life, functional impairment, increases treatment related toxicity, and reduces survival. The core elements of CC such as weight loss and poor appetite should be identified early. Currently, addressing contributing conditions (hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, and adrenal insufficiency), managing nutrition impact symptoms leading to decreased oral intake (nausea, constipation, dysgeusia, stomatitis, mucositis, pain, fatigue, depressed mood, or anxiety), and the addition of pharmacologic agents when appropriate (progesterone analog, corticosteroids, and olanzapine) is recommended. In Japan, the clinical practice has changed based on the availability of Anamorelin, a ghrelin receptor agonist that improved lean body mass, weight, and appetite-related quality of life (QoL) compared to a placebo, in phase III trials. Other promising therapeutic agents currently in trials include Espindolol, a non-selective β blocker and a monoclonal antibody to GDF-15. In the future, a single therapeutic agent or perhaps mu...
Source: Cancers - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research