Answer: Protein is the major source of nitrogen in the human body. Tumors derive protein at the expense of the host. Tumors act as “nitrogen sinks” by depleting the patient’s protein mass and altering protein metabolism. Whole body turnover of protein is increased. Both hepatic synthesis of protein and protein catabolism are increased. Muscle protein [...]

Answer: Cancer patients have decreased fat reserves. A reduced food intake certainly contributes to this, but there are alterations in lipid metabolism secondary to the presence of tumor. Cancer patients have increased lipid mobilization with increased oxidation of free fatty acids. They also have a decreased clearance of serum lipids. This lipid mobilization is facilitated [...]

Answer: Tumor-bearing patients develop changes in carbohydrate metabolism. These patients have elements in common with both type II diabetes and stress. Cancer patients will develop a 25-40% increase in hepatic glucose production, similar to that seen in diabeteic patients. But diabeteic patients will decrease hepatic glucose production during starvation, while cancer patients will increase glucose [...]

Answer: Decreased energy expenditure is a normal response to starvation. But this response is not always seen in cancer patients. They can demonstrate a persistent increase in energy expenditure in the face of a decreased intake. This failure to conserve energy expenditure is one of the contributing factors to cancer cachexia. It is a maladaptation [...]

Answer: Cancer cachexia is a syndrome characterized by progressive weight loss, inanition, anorexia, weakness, tissue wasting, and organ dysfunction. Its cause is multifactorial. Patients with cancer often have a loss of appetite as a result of their disease or treatment. Abnormalities in taste and smell contribute to decrease food intake and resulting weight loss. While [...]

Answer: Cancer patients who do not show weight loss have a significant improvement in survival rate, as compared to those who lose weight. Weight loss has been associated with a decrease in clinical status as defined by increases in cancer stage and in the number of tumor sites. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study analyzed [...]

Answer: 50 to 80% of cancer patients suffer from malnutrition. Malnutrition and inanition are the direct cause of death in 22% of all cancer patients. In the hospital, 45% of these patients wil record a weight loss greater than 10%.