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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

The Colon-26 Carcinoma Tumor-bearing Mouse as a Model for the Study of Cancer Cachexia
Published on: November 30, 2016
Cachexia: pathophysiology and clinical relevance
John E Morley1, David R Thomas, Margaret-Mary G Wilson
1Division of Geriatric Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 1042 South Grand Boulevard M238, St Louis, MO 63104, USA. morley@slu.edu
Abstract:
Cachexia causes weight loss and increased mortality. It affects more than 5 million persons in the United States. Other causes of weight loss include anorexia, sarcopenia, and dehydration. The pathophysiology of cachexia is reviewed in this article. The major cause appears to be cytokine excess. Other potential mediators include testosterone and insulin-like growth factor I deficiency, excess myostatin, and excess glucocorticoids. Numerous diseases can result in cachexia, each by a slightly different mechanism. Both nutritional support and orexigenic agents play a role in the management of cachexia.
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