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Updated: May 24, 2026

The Colon-26 Carcinoma Tumor-bearing Mouse as a Model for the Study of Cancer Cachexia
Published on: November 30, 2016
Inflammation in cancer cachexia: to resolve or not to resolve (is that the question?)
Marilia Seelaender1, Miguel Batista, Fabio Lira
1Cancer Metabolism Research Group, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av Lineu Prestes 1524, 05508-900 São Paulo, Brazil. seelaend@icb.usp.br
Background & Aims:
Cachexia is associated with poor prognosis and shortened survival in cancer patients. Growing evidence points out to the importance of chronic systemic inflammation in the aetiology of this syndrome. In the recent past, chronic inflammation was considered to result from overexpression and release of pro-inflammatory factors. However, this conception is now the focus of debate, since the importance of a crescent number of pro-resolving agents in the dissolution of inflammation is now recognised--leading to the hypothesis that chronic inflammation occurs rather due to failure in the resolution process. We intend to put forward the possibility that this may also be occurring in cancer cachexia.
Methods:
Recent reviews on inflammation and cachexia, and on the factors involved in the resolution of inflammation are discussed.
Results:
The available information suggests that indeed, inflammation resolution failure may be present in cachexia and therefore we speculate on possible mechanisms.
Conclusions:
We emphasise the importance of studying resolution-related mechanisms in cancer cachexia and propose the opening of a new venue for cachexia treatment.
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