Prevent and fight (pre)cachexia
Cachexia is very common in cancer patients. What many see as a minor side effect means much more than just a harmless loss of weight. It means a loss of physical energy, a loss of mental strength, a loss of quality of life and a loss of chances to regain health.
In fact, cachexia worsens treatment outcome significantly! Due to time constraints, doctors often are focused on medical factors and data to help their patients. So, being attentive in addition will pay off. Although the positive effects of nutritional support are clinically proven and well documented, awareness is still increasing slowly. Thus, we want to support you with valuable information.
What is precachexia?
Cancer patients have a high risk of developing cachexia. The preliminary stage of cachexia is called precachexia and is characterized by minor weight loss. Some cancer patients even lose no weight at all but still are precachectic. So, what’s the difference?
The crucial characteristic is inflammation and metabolic changes. You may also notice that you lose your appetite. Precachexia often results in cachexia.
The threat of cancer cachexia
Cancer cachexia is, unfortunately, really common. Technically, cachexia is defined as a complex syndrome affecting the metabolism and can progress through various stages—precachexia to cachexia to refractory cachexia,1 but, in fact, it reduces your quality of life and even impacts your prognosis.
Cancer cachexia is characterized by unintentional muscle loss (sarcopenia) with or without loss of fat tissue2 and loss of appetite (anorexia). Another integral part of cachexia is inflammation. As a result, healing processes slow down and hospital stays can be more frequent and longer.
The loss of muscle mass usually affects your physical activity. Gardening, biking or walking are harder than before, and your limit is reached sooner. Your overall quality of life is negatively affected.
Support your anticancer treatment
Reduced muscle mass also impacts your tolerance and response to treatment. If the body is also weakened by malnutrition, important resources are missing to combat the additional strain. This may directly affect your treatment: Necessary surgeries may not be carried out or your current radiation or chemotherapy must be interrupted, or can only be continued at a reduced level.
In order to improve the general condition, quality of life and tolerance to treatment, maintaining your best possible nutritional status is an important way to support your treatment. To prevent and fight (pre)cachexia, oral nutritional supplements like Remune™ have been developed for the special needs of cancer patients.
1 Fearon K, Strasser F, Anker SD, Bosaeus I, Bruera E, Fainsinger RL, et al. Definition and classification of cancer cachexia: an international consensus. The Lancet Oncology. 2011;12(5):489-95.
2 Evans WJ, Morley JE, Argiles J, Bales C, Baracos V, Guttridge D, et al. Cachexia: a new definition. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). 2008;27(6):793-9.
Watch your weight
5 recommendations for weight recording
Malnutrition , precachexia and cachexia are much more than just counting kilograms/pounds. Nevertheless, your weight is a decisive indicator. If it seems useful, record the causes that made it hard for you to eat and drink enough.
Here are some recommendations for recording your weight:
- Always try to use the same scale to weigh yourself.
- Always weigh yourself under similar conditions (shoes, clothing).
- Always weigh yourself on the same day of the week at the same time (e.g., Mondays before breakfast).
- If suitable, measure your muscle mass with the support of a trained dietician/nutritionist or physician. You may use a body composition monitor (such as BIA [bioelectric impedance analysis]). These scales show your personal amount of fat and muscle mass in addition to your weight. Find out if you can use this method, since it uses electrical impulses (e.g., not suitable for pacemaker patients).
- Tell your doctor if you are losing weight.