IMR Press / FBL / Volume 27 / Issue 4 / DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2704129
Open Access Review
Optimising Outcomes in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer: Targeting Cancer Cachexia
Show Less
1 Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, EH4 2LF Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
2 Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, EH4 2XR Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
3 Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, GU2 7XX Guildford, Surrey, UK
4 St Columba Hospice, EH5 3RW Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
5 Clinical and Surgical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh, EH16 4SA Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
*Correspondence: iain.phillips@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk (Iain Phillips)
Academic Editor: Graham Pawelec
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2022, 27(4), 129; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.fbl2704129
Submitted: 10 February 2022 | Revised: 28 February 2022 | Accepted: 1 March 2022 | Published: 18 April 2022
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Lung cancer is the commonest malignancy worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death. Half of patients with lung cancer present with advanced disease. The number of systemic therapies including immunotherapy and targeted treatment are rapidly increasing. Despite this, the outcomes for many patients with locally advanced and advanced lung cancer are poor, as many patients are too unwell for treatment. One of the reasons patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer are not fit for treatment is cancer cachexia, which is common (upto 75% of patients) in this group. This metabolic syndrome presents clinically as weight loss (muscle +/– fat), decreased physical function (patients less active) and anorexia on a background of systemic inflammation. Currently there is not an optimal management pathway for these patients, however, there is emerging data that multi-modal intervention including nutritional support, physical training and pharmacological therapy may have a role in treating cachexia. This review discusses assessment and intervention in cancer cachexia.

Keywords
lung cancer
cachexia
weight loss
inflammation
Share
Back to top