An Optimized Cancer Cachexia Research Model

Cancer cachexia (CC) is a severe and frequently irreversible systemic syndrome marked by significant weight loss, primarily affecting skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Cachexia occurs in 50% to 80% of patients with cancer and accounts for up to 20% of cancer-related deaths. While various factors interact to induce cachexia, the precise mechanisms underlying this clinical condition are not fully understood. Currently, there are no approved pharmacological treatments for CC, highlighting the urgent need for developing novel experimental models. Here, we developed an optimized protocol for CC research by injecting HT1080 cells into BALB/c nude female mice and observed a body weight loss, fat and muscle decrease, worsened physical performance, and a trend of increased proinflammatory cytokines. © 2026 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Generation of a cancer cachexia model Basic Protocol 2: Cancer cachexia mice monitoring, behavior test, and sample processing.