Cachexia News and Research

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Cachexia is a condition which denotes the excessive loss of weight. It occurs because of the depletion of adipose tissue and muscle mass in people who are not trying to lose weight.

Study identifies the effects of malnutrition on patient survival after cardiac surgery

Nutrients are the structural components of food that the body needs to function properly. They are divided into macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins, provitamins, various minerals, and so on). Their shortage is called nutritional deficiency.

28 Dec 2020

Short term “prehabilitation” strength exercises, undertaken pre-surgery, do not prevent muscle loss

Older adults about to undergo elective surgery should undertake a sustained programme of targeted exercise beforehand to counteract the muscle-wasting effects of bedrest, new research suggests.

21 Dec 2020

Inflammatory factors that aggravate COVID-19 may come from adipose tissue

There is growing evidence that adipose tissue plays a key role in the aggravation of COVID-19. One of the theories under investigation is that fat cells (adipocytes) act as a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 and increase viral load in obese or overweight individuals.

20 Nov 2020

Researchers identify new strategy to combat loss of skeletal muscle mass

Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have shown for the first time that stimulating expression of a protein naturally produced by the human body can be a strategy to combat loss of skeletal muscle mass, which happens normally with aging but can intensify in cases of neurodegenerative or inflammatory disease, or in patients who spend long periods in intensive care units (ICUs).

9 Nov 2020

New study may help combat loss of muscle mass associated with aging

Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have discovered that the muscle regeneration promoted by aerobic exercise is mediated by changes in oxygen consumption by satellite cells, also known as skeletal muscle stem cells.

29 Oct 2020

Researchers develop 'Trojan horse' approach to destroy cancer cells

Cancer cells are killed in lab experiments and tumour growth reduced in mice, using a new approach that turns a nanoparticle into a 'Trojan horse' that causes cancer cells to self-destruct, a research team at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has found.

23 Sep 2020

Scientists identify key cell signaling pathway that drives muscle loss

Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center have identified a key cell signaling pathway that drives the devastating muscle loss, or cachexia, suffered by many cancer patients.

22 May 2020

Scientists discover new metabolism regulation system for the brown adipose tissue

Scientific team found a new metabolism regulation system for the brown adipose tissue using the kallikrein-kinin hormonal system, so far related to the physiology of the renal and cardiovascular system and inflammation and pain processes.

8 May 2020

Researchers establish a gene expression profile associated with cachexia in cancer patients

It is estimated that as many as 80% of advanced-stage cancer patients may develop cachexia, a potentially fatal metabolic syndrome characterized by extreme weight loss and muscle wasting, but scientists do not yet fully understand why it is more frequently associated with certain kinds of tumor than others, or why not all cancer patients develop it.

3 Mar 2020

Rapid and sensitive tracking of fat molecules in the body

Fats have earned a bad name as the source of all that is wrong with our hearts and blood vessels, not to mention our appearance. The dysfunctional handling of lipids or fats in the body is deeply involved in a multitude of metabolic upsets, such as obesity and cancer.

14 Oct 2019

New drug Aliskiren shows promise for heart failure patients

A study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, as part of a special issue “Heart Failure: From Molecular Basis to Therapy”, in August 2019, shows that aliskiren, a drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), can improve survival for over 5 years, on average, and enhance life quality in patients who have been correctly diagnosed with heart failure.

9 Oct 2019

Aliskiren drug can delay progression of congestive heart failure, lengthen survival rates

Researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix have shown for the first time in preclinical studies that Aliskiren, a drug that inhibits the enzyme that regulates blood pressure, can delay the progression of congestive heart failure and lengthen survival rates.

8 Oct 2019

Researchers discover how cancer cells can trigger chronic muscle wasting condition

A solid tumor can cause muscle cells in the body to self-destruct. Many cancer patients die from the consequences. Now researchers are discovering more about how cancer cells in a tumor can take control of muscle cell wasting and trigger a chronic, serious condition.

19 Sep 2019

New improved model for cancer wasting syndrome cachexia

A new model of cancer-related cachexia promises to help scientists understand why patients with cancer show severe wasting, which in turn may drive the development of better therapies.

7 Aug 2019

New mouse model could lead to a better understanding of cachexia syndrome

A study published in Cell Reports Aug. 6 describes the generation of a new mouse model developed at Hollings Cancer Center that could lead to a better understanding of the cachexia syndrome. This wasting condition, characterized by excessive weight loss, has one of the highest incidences in pancreatic cancer patients.

6 Aug 2019

Marijuana isn’t a great choice for glaucoma treatment, says expert

Marijuana can help reduce the pressure inside the eye (IOP, or intraocular pressure). Being a euphoric drug, it is now a commonly used recreational and medicinal drug. In fact, its use ranks fourth among all substances, behind tobacco, alcohol and caffeine.

18 Jul 2019

New study sheds light on the role of vitamin D in muscle cells

A recent study conducted at The Westmead Institute for Medical Research has shed light on the role of vitamin D in muscle cells.

26 Jun 2019

Study uncovers trigger for cachexia

Among all major cancers, pancreatic cancer has the highest rate of death - 93 percent of patients die within five years of diagnosis.

13 Jun 2019

Eating leafy green vegetables may help maintain muscle strength and mobility

Popeye was on to something. Eating just one cup of leafy green vegetables like spinach each day may help maintain muscle strength and mobility into old age.

25 Mar 2019

Cholesterol lowering drug can also help treat cancer-associated cachexia

Brazilian researchers have discovered that a drug regularly prescribed to control cholesterol can also be used to treat cachexia, or wasting syndrome, a condition characterized by rapid weight loss and muscle atrophy associated with extreme physical weakness.

19 Mar 2019