The cancer cachexia syndrome. The influence of treatment on selected clinical and biochemical parameters. Preliminary report

Maciej Bączyk; Lidia Gorzelińska; Jacek Łuczak; Jerzy Sowiński

Vol 4, No 1 (2005): Polish Palliative Medicine

Original articles

Published online: 2005-01-19

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The cancer cachexia syndrome. The influence of treatment on selected clinical and biochemical parameters. Preliminary report

Maciej Bączyk, Lidia Gorzelińska, Jacek Łuczak, Jerzy Sowiński

Advances in Palliative Medicine 2005;4(1):11-16.

Vol 4, No 1 (2005): Polish Palliative Medicine

Original articles

Published online: 2005-01-19

Abstract

The aim of the study was to establish the correlation between the grade of cachexia and possible endocrine factors and the type of therapy. Disturbances of thyroxin conversion to triiodothyronine - low T3 syndrome, high revers-T3 values, low insulin and IGF-1 levels. The statistically significant, positive correlation between weight loss and anorexia (p < 0.01), pain intensity (p < 0.01), grade of depression (p < 0.01), higher values of cortisol (p < 0.05) was detected. In the examined group, in spite of tendency, correlation between the grade of weight loss and IL-6 or TNFα values was not observed. The obtained results indicate, that cancer cachexia is the result of multiple factors. Chronic, higher than normal, cortisol level induces the depression, protein degradation (together with TNFα, especially in skeletal muscles mass), lipolysis, higher liver glucose production and gluconeogenesis; together with cytokines leads to insulin resistance, tendency to postprandial hyperglycaemia, which inhibits appetite after small meal administration. The progestins are the most effective agents in the treatment of cancer cachexia, but good symptoms control, psychic state of patient are also very important.