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Vol.62 No.3 contents | Japanese/English |
 | Full Text of PDF (748K) Article in Japanese |
- Invited Review Article -
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer Cachexia
Koichi Takayama1, Satomi Tanaka11Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan
Cancer cachexia is associated with weight loss, anorexia, and fatigue, and a deteriorated life prognosis and quality of life among cancer patients. The onset of cachexia involves various factors, including inflammatory cytokines and tumor products, leading to abnormalities in energy metabolism and degradation of the skeletal muscles. Fearon et al. proposed simple diagnostic criteria based on the degree of weight loss and promoted intervention at an early stage. However, the recognition of cancer cachexia is still low, so education on the state will be necessary in the future. In 2021, anamorelin, a ghrelin agonist, was approved as a therapeutic drug in Japan for the first time globally and is currently being used in clinical practice. However, drug therapy alone is not sufficient, and comprehensive treatment combined with nutritional therapy and exercise therapy is considered necessary for proper resolution. The development of new drugs, such as GDF-15 antibody, is also progressing, with further advances in cancer cachexia treatment expected in the future.
key words: Cancer cachexia, Diagnosis criteria, Anamorelin, GDF-15, Multimodal intervention
JJLC 62 (3): 180-187, 2022
