Anorexia and Cachexia

Overview Cancer cachexia is a wasting syndrome with extensive loss of skeletal muscle mass with or without adipose tissue. It may be contrasted with simple starvation in which fat replaces glucose as the preferred fuel to spare lean body mass. It results from altered metabolism rather than just an energy deficit, and cannot be reversed by conventional nutritional support. The causes of cancer‐related cachexia are multifactorial including production of procachectic cytokines and metabolic derangements. European cancer community is credited in developing new definition and classification of cancer cachexia. Recent studies identified anamorelin, an oral ghrelin analogue, as a new agent for the treatment of cancer cachexia.