Cancer cachexia induces morphological and inflammatory changes in the intestinal mucosa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cachexia is a multifactorial and multiorgan syndrome associated with cancer and other chronic diseases and characterized by severe involuntary body weight loss, disrupted metabolism, inflammation, anorexia, fatigue, and diminished quality of life. This syndrome affects around 50% of patients with colon cancer and is directly responsible for the death of at least 20% of all cancer patients. Systemic inflammation has been recently proposed to underline most of cachexia-related symptoms. Nevertheless, the exact mechanisms leading to the initiation of systemic inflammation have not yet been unveiled, as patients bearing the same tumour and disease stage may or may not present cachexia. We hypothesize a role for gut barrier disruption, which may elicit persistent immune activ

SUBMITTER: Costa RGF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6818537 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature