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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 15, 2025

The Colon-26 Carcinoma Tumor-bearing Mouse as a Model for the Study of Cancer Cachexia

The Colon-26 Carcinoma Tumor-bearing Mouse as a Model for the Study of Cancer Cachexia

Published on: November 30, 2016

The Adipokines in Cancer Cachexia.

Michele Mannelli¹, Tania Gamberi¹, Francesca Magherini¹

¹Department of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni 50, 50134 Florence, Italy.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

|July 15, 2020

Summary

Cancer cachexia involves significant weight loss due to muscle and fat depletion. Adipokines, hormones from fat tissue, are altered in cachexia, potentially offering new therapeutic targets.

Keywords:

adipokines adipose tissue cancer cachexia

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Area of Science:

Endocrinology
Oncology
Metabolic Diseases

Background:

Cachexia, characterized by weight loss and muscle wasting, is a severe complication of diseases like cancer.
Adipose tissue plays a crucial role in overall health through adipokine secretion, influencing metabolic and differentiating processes.
Altered circulating adipokine levels are linked to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the role of specific adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, resistin, apelin, visfatin) in cancer cachexia.
To highlight the potential of adipokines as therapeutic targets for cancer cachexia.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies investigating adipokines in cancer cachexia.
Analysis of findings on altered circulating levels of adipokines in cachectic patients.

Main Results:

Cancer cachexia is associated with significant changes in adipokine secretion by adipose tissue.
Cachectic patients frequently exhibit altered levels of circulating adipokines.

Conclusions:

Adipokines are implicated in the pathology of cancer cachexia.
Further research into the involvement of adipokines could lead to novel therapeutic strategies for cancer cachexia.