FOOD-INTAKE AND BODY-COMPOSITION IN CANCER CACHEXIA

As a complex syndrome, cachexia has different clinical manifestations; anorexia appears to be one of the most frequent findings, together wi th weight loss. Anorexia is the cause and partly the consequence of me tabolic changes and of progressive undernourishment. In cancer cachexi a, weight loss is associated with a marked decrease of food intake and severe alteration of body composition. Malnourished cancer patients s how a marked loss of adipose tissue and protein mass with BIA evidence of decreased body cell mass and expansion of extracellular water. The mechanisms of anorexia and cachexia are still a matter of debate, but the possible involvement of cytokines in the pathogenesis of this syn drome has opened up new possibilities for its understanding and treatm ent. As a result of the multifactorial etiology of cancer cachexia/ano rexia, therapies that stimulate appetite and promote greater food inta ke, coupled with factors that influence metabolism and cytokine produc tion may be an optimal therapeutic strategy. Of particular interest ap pears to be the possible role played by fish oil in antagonizing the n egative effects of cytokines. Future research in this field will help clinicians develop new methods to treat patients who have disease-indu ced starvation and wasting.