Latest treatments for cancer cachexia: a review

Article: The Latest Treatments for Cancer Cachexia: An Overview

Currently, there are many interventions and treatments for cancer cachexia. Early nutritional intervention and care are essential to ensure that sufficient nutritional requirements are met for the patients. This includes oral nutrition where possible, as well as nutrition and exercise therapy. Furthermore, preventive care to minimise loss of skeletal muscle mass is vital. Pharmacological options are also available. These include many options, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-cytokine therapy and eicosapentaenoic acid. Furthermore, steroids are often used for cachexia. However, they have limited effects are limited, so recently, anamorelin hydrochloride, a ligand with a similar action to that of ghrelin, was developed. It is used to treat weight loss by increasing appetite and has been approved for use in cachexia. Anamorelin hydrochloride holds great promise to function as an effective therapeutic drug for cancer cachexia.

This review by Watanabe H & Oshima T aimed to review the current treatments of cancer cachexia, as well as anamorelin hydrochloride, a new and promising treatment.

Key learnings

Anamorelin hydrochloride has the same function as ghrelin, meaning it can be used to treat weight loss and improve appetite. This therapeutic agent holds strong potential in aiding patients with cancer cachexia and improving their symptoms.

Reviewed by: Z. Beketova

Authors: Watanabe H & Oshima T

Published in: Anticancer Res 2023