Physical Activity, Exerkines, and Their Role in Cancer Cachexia

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Exercise Physiology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Cancer-associated cachexia is a complex wasting syndrome marked by muscle loss, inflammation, and metabolic issues, frequently seen in gastrointestinal cancers.
• Physical activity is a promising non-pharmacological approach to manage cachexia, impacting inflammatory and anabolic signaling pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current evidence on how physical activity and exerkines can mitigate cancer cachexia.
• To focus on the role of exercise and exerkines in gastrointestinal malignancies and their metabolic challenges.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical and experimental studies.
• Analysis of exercise-induced signaling molecules (exerkines) and their context-dependent effects.

Main Results:

• Exercise modulates inflammatory signaling (e.g., IL-6/STAT3, TNF-α/NF-κB) and enhances anabolic pathways (e.g., IGF-1/Akt/mTOR).
• Exerkines, released during exercise, mediate benefits but can paradoxically contribute to cachexia when chronically elevated.
• The effects of exerkines depend on their origin, timing, concentration, and the physiological environment.

Conclusions:

• Physical activity and exerkines offer a potential strategy to combat cancer cachexia.
• Understanding the dual role of exerkines is crucial for developing effective interventions, especially for gastrointestinal cancers.