Cancer cachexia

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial, common but often underrecognized, debilitating clinical condition^1-5, shown to adversely impact patients’ tolerance and response to anticancer therapy^5-9, as well as the survival of patients with advanced tumors^9-14. Across all tumor types, more than 50% of patients with cancer develop cachexia, with a prevalence of up to 80% in patients with advanced cancers¹; the condition has particularly high prevalence among patients with gastrointestinal (GI) and non-small cell lung cancers². Cancer cachexia is often underrecognized, inadequately managed, and considered inevitable for patients with cancer^3,4.

Weight loss and anorexia are key clinical hallmarks of cancer cachexia¹⁷ correlated with shorter survival^9-14; mortality among patients with cancer cachexia is estimated at 80%, with over 30% of deaths linked to cancer cachexia¹. Weight and skeletal muscle mass loss are associated with metabolic dysfunction and cannot be fully reversed by conventional nutritional support^16-17.

Weight loss during cancer treatment has been associated with an increase in therapy-related toxicities^5-8, negatively interfering with completion of therapy cycles¹⁵ and impairing response to cancer treatment⁹.

Current treatment approaches for cancer cachexia have limited success^18-21, with no available options to substantially improve LBM²² and potentially counteract the metabolic impairment associated with muscle depletion.