Tumor cachexia: the syndrome that can most complicate the lives of cancer patients

There is a direct relationship between malnutrition and the survival of cancer patients.

The lack of appetite caused by the treatments can become a problem for these patients since, as explained by the Dr. Maria Riestra Fernandezmember of the :

• “Malnutrition harms the immune system, since it will not be able to act effectively, making the patient more vulnerable to infections.”

In addition, as the specialist adds, the incidence of this nutritional deficit also:

• It affects the muscle

• Causes atrophy and functional impairment

• In the event that it affects the respiratory muscles, it will lead to a decrease in vital capacity and more susceptibility to respiratory infections, which are one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality.

tumor cachexia

As the endocrinologist specifies, from the SEEN they provide worrying information:

• The incidence of malnutrition In people who suffer from some type of cancer, it is between 15% and 40% at the time of diagnosis and even reaches 80% in advanced stages“although there is a wide variability depending on the type of tumor and the stage or phase”.

And it is that when malnutrition is extreme, what specialists call tumor:

• “A complex syndrome in which, in addition to the loss of muscle massthere is a high inflammatory response and a increased catabolism, which leads to a progressive insufficiency of vital functions. and the death of the patient.

This syndrome is designated as directly or indirectly responsible for the death of a third of cancer patients.

Malnutrition impairs tolerance and the side effects of chemotherapy.

Essential medical nutrition therapy for cancer patients

When a tumor is diagnosed, the first and most immediate is the oncological one.

But endocrinologists emphasize that there are other aspects related to nutritional status, which can significantly influence the course of the disease.

The fact that the patient gradually loses his appetite and stops ingesting the necessary nutrients has important implications for the disease.

Thus, malnutrition can worsen tolerance to different treatments, the quality of life of the patient, and fatigue.

• And not only that. The fact that the patient is not properly nourished impairs tolerance and chemotherapy side effects increasing the possibility of complications, the treatment toxicity and, therefore, the patient’s hospital stay with the consequent increase in associated costs.

And it is in this level of care for cancer patients that the endocrinologist plays an essential role by identifying malnutrition and prescribing adequate nutritional medical therapy at each moment of the disease.

Malnutrition varies depending on the type of tumor

Although we have already seen that malnutrition is common among cancer patients, not all tumors cause the same degree of nutrient deprivation or do so for the same cause.

As explained by Dr. Riestra Fernández

• “The digestive tumors (esophagus, stomach and pancreas) and the otorhinolaryngological sphere tumorsdue to their location, are the ones that will most frequently cause malnutrition, mainly due to , early satiety or intestinal obstruction”.

There are also other tumors that can cause digestive compression. For example, if there are large metastases that compress part of the digestive system, malnutrition will also be common.

In addition to the location of the tumor, there is another factor that causes malnutrition in these patients, and that is that cancer can cause substances with an effect on the central nervous system inducing the .

And finally, we must not forget that “oncological treatments (surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy) can lead to nutritional complications.

Chemotherapy, for example, causes a high incidence of symptoms with an influence on nutrition (nausea, diarrhea, alteration of taste or smell). For this reason, we can find malnutrition at any stage of the disease”, maintains the endocrinologist.

Malnutrition can appear at any stage of the disease.

Nutritional recommendations for cancer patients

The interventions of endocrinologists and nutritionists in the treatment of people with cancer will have three basic objectives explained by Dr. Fernández:

• “Avoid malnutrition and its complications

• Improve tolerance and response to treatments

• Improve the quality of life of the patient.

To achieve these results, SEEN specialists offer some general dietary recommendations for cancer patients:

• Ingest highly nutritious foods with high energy density such as full-fat dairy, butter, , chicken, olive oil, and nuts.

• It is advisable to perform frequent light mealseat in a pleasant atmosphere and take advantage of the moments of greatest appetite.

• In the event that the patient suffers from nausea avoid fried or highly seasoned foods, as well as foods that are too hot. In these cases it is also advisable to drink plenty of fluids outside of meals.
• If you have diarrhea it is essential to replenish lost fluids and increase the consumption of salts in the form of bouillon or broths and avoid carbonated drinks.

“If with the recommendations we do not reach the nutritional requirements, sometimes it will be necessary to prescribe nutritional supplementation adapted to the patient in order to complement the oral diet”, points out the endocrinologist.