Clinical Management of Cancer-Related Cachexia: Review of the Literature

Abstract

Cachexia is among the most debilitating and life-threatening aspects of cancer, especially in the palliative care setting. It represents a metabolic syndrome affecting essential functional circuits involved in the regulation of homeostasis, with symptoms including anorexia, and fat and muscle tissue wasting. Most patients experiencing cachexia do not receive proper management and suffer a profoundly distressing experience, affecting not only the patients, but also the entire family. Thus, oncologists and palliative care clinicians must understand its complex pathophysiology and treatment. This article will review special considerations about the anorexia-cachexia syndrome and which interventions are most effective in relieving this condition.