Treatment of cachexia drug. Types and causes of exhaustion. Symptoms of cancer cachexia

What kind of disease is cachexia? Many patients who have been diagnosed with this are interested in information about it. Doctors say that the disease is characterized by complete exhaustion of the body for various reasons. This condition is accompanied not only by weight loss, but also by metabolic disorders, deterioration of immunity, and mental changes. This disease requires urgent hospitalization in a hospital and conservative therapy. The prognosis is often unfavorable.

What kind of disease is this?

Cachexia (according to ICD-10 code - R64) is severe depletion of the body. The disease can be associated with many disorders of internal organs, and sometimes develops due to the fault of the person himself, who seeks to lose weight and get rid of extra pounds.

Cachexia (ICD includes it in the class of symptoms, signs and abnormalities) can be associated with such disorders as:

illnesses nervous system;
tumors;
endocrine disorders;
sudden weight loss.

Despite the various causes of the problem, its manifestations are almost always the same. As you lose weight, a deficit occurs useful substances, as a result of which metabolic processes are disrupted and internal organs suffer.

The course of the disease and its outcome are largely influenced by the patient’s age and the cause that provoked the disturbances in the body.

Causes

Cachexia (ICD-10 code indicated above) refers to catastrophic depletion of the body, which causes internal organs to suffer. The disease can be primary or secondary. Primary cachexia implies exhaustion that occurs against the background of a strict diet, when an insufficient amount of nutrients enters the body.

Such data are not reflected in the ICD, but secondary type cachexia can be caused by:

pathologies of the stomach and intestines;
infectious diseases;
cancerous tumors;
psychological disorders;
taking certain medications;
endocrine disorders.

Malignant neoplasms play a special role in the occurrence of cachexia. The disease is characterized by the fact that during its course the body's metabolic processes are disrupted, and poisoning occurs with toxic substances produced by the tumor. Infectious processes lead to intoxication, as a result of which a person begins to dramatically lose weight.

Symptoms

It is important to know what cachexia is and how exactly such a disorder manifests itself in the body. The disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

fast and strong weight loss;
muscle weakness;
dehydration;
deterioration of the immune system;
sleep disorder;
decreased blood pressure;
mental problems.

When cachexia occurs, as a result of insufficient amounts of nutrients, the skin loses its former elasticity. The skin becomes sluggish and acquires a sallow tone or extreme pallor. Impaired tissue nutrition leads to severe brittleness of nails, development of stomatitis and hair loss.

Cachexia may also be accompanied by disruption of the genitourinary system, intestines and stomach. In patients, sexual desire sharply decreases and completely disappears. Mental disorders occur, severe irritability, lethargy, apathy, tearfulness, and severe weakness appear.

Classification

It is important to know not only what cachexia is, but also what types of this disease there are, so that you can promptly recognize disorders occurring in the body. IN clinical practice There are several forms of the disease, each of which differs in the mechanisms of development. In particular:

hypothalamic;
cahechtinaceae;
anorexic.

In addition, the disease can be divided into several types, depending on the cause that provoked the exhaustion. Particular attention should be paid to the following types:

nutritional;
pituitary;
malignant;
senile;
cerebral;
cardiac.

The pituitary and cerebral type affects the brain and develops as a result of disruption of its functioning. They are quite difficult to treat, there is a high risk fatal outcome. Nutritional cachexia occurs due to poor nutrition.

The cardiac form is characterized by a decrease in the ability of the heart muscle to maintain normal blood circulation.

Cancer type of cachexia

Cancer cachexia usually occurs as a result of severe stages of development of malignant neoplasms of the digestive system, lungs, brain and breast. Exhaustion is due to the fact that the tumor absorbs nutrients, and toxic ones are released into the bloodstream, poisoning the human body. As the intoxication process progresses, a decrease in appetite occurs, up to complete failure from food and nausea.

It is important to carry out aggressive therapy, since during chemotherapy, the disintegration of the tumor provokes a metabolic disorder in the body. A special group includes patients with cancer cachexia, which was caused by the presence of a neoplasm in the area of the digestive organs and oral cavity, which makes food consumption impossible.

As this disease progresses, irreversible changes occur in the body, resulting in the death of the patient. Cachexia in cancer is treated only symptomatically. A man must adhere dietary nutrition, enriched with vitamins and including easily digestible but high-calorie foods. If cachexia in cancer is complicated, with severe nausea and vomiting, then antiemetics are prescribed. medicines. Taking fish oil helps slow down the weight loss process.

Nutritional cachexia

Many people are interested in what cachexia is. nutritional type how this disease manifests itself. The pathological process occurs when the need for nutrients is not met by the food consumed. This may be due to strict diets, pathological processes in the digestive system, or the presence of a tumor. As a result, patients experience aversion to food, nausea, and have difficulty eating food as a result of damage to the oral cavity.

As you lose weight, it additionally adds psychogenic factor, the woman ceases to adequately assess her condition and continues to refuse food, even when her usual way of life becomes impossible.

Pituitary cachexia

People who are diagnosed with a brain tumor are interested in what it is - pituitary cachexia. A similar condition is diagnosed during pathological processes occurring in the pituitary gland, which is observed when the cells that feed the vessels die.

This disease often occurs in the postpartum period, especially in those who have experienced major blood loss, as well as postpartum depression. The death of pituitary cells leads to a decrease in the amount of hormones they produce, therefore weight loss occurs, and dystonia is also observed, mental disorders, hypotension.

Stages of the disease

Depending on weight loss and the characteristics of metabolic disorders, there are 3 main stages of cachexia:

precachexia;
cachexia;
refractory disorders.

Precachexia is characterized by the fact that in six months a person loses approximately 5% of body weight, signs of an inflammatory process are observed in the internal organs, the patient refuses food, and metabolic disorders also occur. The second stage is due to the fact that there is a weight loss of more than 5% or a decrease in skeletal muscle.

The refractory stage is characterized by metabolic disorders, lack of results from therapy, and severe exhaustion. In the last stages, a person completely refuses to consume food, sometimes consciousness is impaired, and life expectancy does not exceed 3 months.

Carrying out diagnostics

The doctor can make the diagnosis when examining the patient, since sudden weight loss can be noticed almost immediately. However, in order to carry out competent and adequate therapy, it is necessary to conduct an examination to determine the cause that provoked pathological process, as well as stages of violation metabolic processes.

When carrying out diagnostics, it is required laboratory research blood and urine, and in some cases stool analysis. There is a decrease in the amount of proteins, glucose and cholesterol in the blood. During the inflammatory process, leukocytosis, a decrease in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and anemia are possible. The volume of urine decreases, and there is a sharp increase in white blood cells and protein. In addition, instrumental research techniques are prescribed:

electrocardiogram;
fluorography;
ultrasound diagnostics;
X-ray;
tomography;
colonoscopy.

As a result of the diagnosis, consultation with a cardiologist, oncologist, psychiatrist, infectious disease specialist, and neurologist is required.

Features of treatment

Treatment of cachexia is carried out comprehensively and requires compliance certain rules. This is due to special difficulties when consuming food, as there is a disturbance in appetite and changes in the digestive organs.

The choice of method for replenishing the lack of useful and nutrient substances depends largely on the patient’s well-being, the functioning of the digestive system, as well as the degree of exhaustion of the body. The patient must adhere to the dietary rules, which are developed individually by a nutritionist for each person. It is worth noting that malignant neoplasms lead to loss of energy, and this increases the need for calories, so the diet should be high in calories.

When the oral cavity is affected by fungal processes, it is prescribed antifungal drugs, as well as rinsing with antiseptics. During the treatment of cachexia, the patient must be under laboratory control at all times, which will help to promptly detect complications and eliminate them.

If the patient cannot independently consume food, then intravenous support is required, indications for which may include:

inability to independently consume food;
severe exhaustion and weakness;
previous surgery;
significant nutrient requirements.

In addition, doctors prescribe drug therapy, which includes steroids for speed dial weight, enzymes, antidepressants. Lifestyle is important in carrying out therapy. physical activity.

Danger to life

A distinctive feature of cachexia is that rapid and involuntary weight loss occurs. In addition, the patient has atrophy muscular system, and this leads to malaise, the emergence painful sensations. Over time, it becomes difficult for a person to move his limbs. The disease very often leads to the death of the patient.

Prognosis and prevention

The disease is considered practically incurable; it is often observed in patients with late stages of oncology. The prognosis is unfavorable high performance mortality.

Prevention in this case means timely treatment malignant neoplasms, drug addiction, alcoholism. In addition, it is important to fully balanced diet and consumption of foods with high content fiber.

State of complete exhaustion human body called cachexia. The patient begins to lose weight sharply, although he does not actively seek to lose weight. Against this background, the overall vitality, all physiological processes slow down, depression and others develop psychical deviations. A person changes beyond recognition. Cachexia can develop as an independent pathology or accompany other diseases. Often it becomes a direct or indirect cause of death. The treatment regimen is selected individually, taking into account the person’s condition.

Cachexia disease

According to ICD-10, cachexia has code R 64. The disease is extreme exhaustion, which is accompanied general weakness, changes in mental state, decreased activity physiological processes. Another characteristic sign is a sudden weight loss, which reaches 50% or more. Because of this, subcutaneous tissue almost completely disappears, the skin becomes pale or sallow-gray, as well as wrinkled and flabby.

Causes

Cachexia is formed due to negative influence internal or external factors. The latter are associated with the actions of the person himself, who is malnourished or starving due to religious reasons or a passionate and unfounded desire to lose weight. Cachexia also develops due to diseases of the nervous system, tumors, endocrine disorders. The main reasons for complete exhaustion of the body:

amyloidosis;
Sheehan's syndrome;
psychogenic anorexia;
long-term use psychostimulants;
acantholytic pemphigus;
long-term intoxication against the background of chronic tuberculosis, brucellosis or purulent processes, including osteomyelitis and abscesses;
metabolic disorders;
failure thyroid gland or adrenal glands;
stenosis of the esophagus, in which it is difficult for food to enter the stomach;
diffuse diseases connective tissue;
malignant tumors;
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome;
hemorrhage;
malabsorption;
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS);
hypoinsulinism;
autoimmune hypophysitis.

Classification of cachexia

According to the main classification, pathology is divided into types depending on etiological factors. According to this criterion, it can be exogenous and endogenous. In the first case, cachexia develops due to reasons that act on a person from the outside. The endogenous type is associated with the influence internal pathologies body. According to the mechanism of development, the following types of cachexia are distinguished:

Hypothalamic. Develops due to a decrease or complete cessation of the synthesis of neuropeptide Y in the hypothalamus. As a result, the efficiency of metabolic reactions decreases, the process of fat accumulation is inhibited, which leads to weight loss and loss of ability to work.
Cachectinova. The main reason is the synthesis of cachectin by macrophages and adipocytes, which suppresses the production of neuropeptide Y. The result is that fat reserves are depleted and body weight decreases.
Anorexic. In this form of exhaustion, repeated negative stress reactions provoke the production of cachectin and appetite suppressants (serotonin, cholecystokinin). In addition, the patient's synthesis of neuropeptide Y decreases. The combination of these factors leads to anorexia - a progressive decrease in body weight.

When making a diagnosis, the doctor, depending on the symptoms observed in the patient, determines the stage of the disease. There are three of them in total:

On early stage(precachexia) exhaustion, only a slight decrease in nutritional volumes is noted. Patients may experience some changes in appetite, thirst, increased urination, and constant desire salt food. The body develops a lack of energy metabolism.
On next stage health worsens. The patient continues to lose weight due to a decrease in muscle mass. Against this background, decreased body temperature and swelling of the legs are observed. Sometimes mental changes are noted.
At the third stage, refractory or severe cachexia develops. She's different complete absence subcutaneous fat, muscle atrophy. If treatment is not started, death may occur due to starvation coma or secondary infections.

Pituitary

This form of exhaustion develops as a result of dysfunction of the centers of the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary gland. This pathological process is manifested by a lack or complete absence of synthesis of triple hormones of the adenohypophysis, which leads to the formation of:

hypogonadism (decreased amount of male sex hormones produced);
hypocortisolism (dysfunction of the adrenal glands);
hypothyroidism (decreased thyroid function).

Due to such failures, pituitary cachexia occurs in humans. It often develops as a result of inflammatory processes in the pituitary gland. The cause may be a malignant or benign tumor. Other risk factors:

injuries;
thrombosis or spasm of the arteries supplying blood to the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland;
collapse or bleeding during childbirth, resulting in ischemia or thrombosis of the vessels of the hypothalamic-pituitary system.

Nutritional

The concept of “nutritional” means everything related to food. This type of exhaustion is formed as a result of poor nutrition, malnutrition, forced or voluntary starvation. Due to these reasons, disruptions occur in all metabolic processes, which causes degeneration of organs and tissues. Due to disruption of their work, physical activity decreases and changes in the perception of the surrounding world are observed. Alimentary cachexia also causes other abnormalities in the body:

malfunction of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, reproductive system;
hypoproteinemia – protein swelling;
atrophy of the muscles of the skeletal frame;
loss of subcutaneous tissue;
reduction in liver size.

Cerebral

This type of cachexia is diagnosed when there are disturbances in brain activity. Pathological changes affect the pituitary gland and hypothalamus. Dystrophic and inflammatory processes can spread to diencephalon. The pathology has not yet been fully studied. In addition, patients do not experience any abnormalities in work endocrine system, as with other types of exhaustion. In this case, cerebral cachexia is diagnosed. It can occur as a result of experiencing shock or severe fright.

Malignant

Malignant cachexia develops in people suffering from one or another type of cancer. The reason for the exhaustion against their background:

rapid intoxication of the body by tumor decomposition products;
accumulation of excess amounts of lactic acid, which has a detrimental effect on the liver;
atypical metabolism, in which the tumor requires a large number of substrates necessary for its growth.

Another name for this type of wasting is cancer cachexia. It is more often diagnosed with cancer of the gastrointestinal tract or respiratory organs. In the case of neoplasms in the digestive system, an aversion to many foods may appear, as a result of which the body does not receive the substances it needs. Cachexia in cancer can only be treated symptomatically.

Heart

The cause of this form of cachexia is rapidly progressing chronic heart failure. The etiology of sudden weight loss against the background of such pathology has not yet been studied, although its prognosis is favorable. Presumably, cardiac cachexia develops due to:

the patient’s persistent feeling of fullness in the stomach;
disturbances of intestinal motility;
hepatomegaly due to blood stagnation in venous system;
inflammation, in which cytokines are produced in large quantities.

Senile

As the body ages, metabolic processes slow down. Against this background, the skin is restored worse, and problems with the functioning of organs appear. Cachexia develops due to deterioration in the intestinal absorption of nutrients. As a result, body weight decreases, which leads to exhaustion. Typically for older people sedentary lifestyle life, which, against the background of a slow metabolism, only increases exhaustion.

Symptoms of cachexia

Regardless of the cause, cachexia is accompanied mental changes. Asthenia, a psychopathic disorder, gradually develops. The main symptoms of this deviation:

irritability;
tearfulness;
lethargy;
apathy;
lack of physical strength;
rudimentary or severe delirium (stupefaction, coma);
anxious and melancholy states;
apathetic stupor;
pseudoparalytic syndrome.

Mental abnormalities can persist for a long time even after cachexia is cured. The pathology itself is accompanied by a sharp decrease in weight by about 50% or more. Against this background, the patient experiences:

muscle weakness;
loss of legal capacity;
sleep disorders;
prone to infections;
fragility and hair loss;
decline blood pressure;
dehydration;
stomatitis;
dysbacteriosis;
amenorrhea;
decreased sexual function;
loose, wrinkled skin that is pale or sallow in color.

Diagnostics

If signs of severe exhaustion appear, you should consult a doctor general practice(GP, pediatrician or family doctor). During the appointment, the specialist conducts an external examination of the patient and collects his complaints. Additionally, the presence of disorders of consciousness is checked, the body mass index and the thickness of the fat layer under the skin are determined. From laboratory tests the patient is prescribed:

Blood culture. It is carried out to check for the presence of sepsis (blood poisoning).
General urine examination. When exhausted, there is a lack of carbohydrates in the body, as a result of which acidosis develops. This is indicated by acetone bodies, which are found in urine.
General and biochemical tests blood. There is a sharp decrease in the concentration of cholesterol, proteins, triglycerides, glucose, and glomerular filtration rate.

In the process of diagnosis Special attention the doctor focuses on reducing the amount of food the patient consumes. Depending on the symptoms, the patient may be additionally referred to an oncologist, endocrinologist, infectious disease specialist, gastroenterologist, or psychologist. If you suspect more serious reasons depletions, such as cancer, are used instrumental methods:

Ultrasound ( ultrasonography);
X-ray;
echocardiography (ECG);
colonoscopy;
computed tomography;
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI);
esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Treatment of cachexia

Exhaustion is only a consequence of certain problems in the body. In this regard, treatment is aimed at eliminating the problem that caused the sudden weight loss. If cachexia is caused by external factors, then it is necessary to minimize their effect and carry out restorative therapy. When the cause is a disease, it must be treated, otherwise exhaustion cannot be dealt with.

Regardless of the etiology, prerequisite therapy involves the systematic restoration of a balanced diet. This is necessary to compensate for nutritional deficiencies and the patient to gain body weight. Treatment begins with the appointment of mixtures balanced in the content of vitamins and microelements. Methods of their introduction:

Enteral. Food enters directly into the gastrointestinal tract.
Parenteral. Nutrients administered by intravenous infusion or intramuscular injections bypassing the gastrointestinal tract. This method of nutrition is recommended for severe exhaustion, severe infections, oncological diseases and after them, swallowing disorders, refusal to eat and severe comatose states.

Nutrition

An important condition The fight against exhaustion is through proper, easily digestible nutrition. Patients with cachexia often lack appetite, making it difficult to feed them. For this reason, you need to start with small, but high-calorie portions, so that the body will gradually get used to the food. The best option- break the whole thing daily ration for 5–6 receptions. It is better if a person eats according to a schedule every day, i.e. at the same time.

Another condition for success is tasty and aesthetically attractive food that will stimulate the patient’s appetite. Forcing a person to eat through force can only achieve the opposite result. Varied, balanced and appetite-stimulating foods include:

spices;
Dessert;
fruit juices;
smoked fish;
baked goods;
first courses in a rich broth with a dressing of yolks, cream or sour cream.

Desserts can be served not only at lunch, but also after other meals. Eating puddings is good for weight gain cottage cheese casseroles, kulebyaki and pies. Nutritionists recommend avoiding monotony in your diet. In the absence of individual contraindications, there are no food restrictions. The main thing is that the products and dishes have high calorie content.

To prepare dishes you need to use vegetable or butter, cream. It is recommended to season salads with mayonnaise; vegetables should be fried or stewed. It is recommended to use as a side dish:

mashed potatoes with milk, sour cream or cream;
pasta;
boiled potatoes With butter;
cereal porridge seasoned with oil;
French fries.

Drug therapy

In order to provide high-calorie nutrition, the patient is prescribed saline solution, vitamins, amino acid mixtures, protein hydrolysates and glucose solution or electrolytes. Common list drugs used for depletion:

multienzyme;
increasing appetite;
antiemetics;
antidepressants;
anabolic steroid;
hormonal.

To normalize the digestion and absorption of food and stimulate appetite, multienzyme drugs, for example, Pancreatin, are used. The dosage depends on the patient’s age and the degree of enzyme deficiency. The tablets are taken orally before or with food, with a a small amount liquids. Pancreatin dosage regimen:

the average dosage is 0.25–0.5 g, divided into 3–6 doses per day;
with complete secretory insufficiency it is increased to 0.75 g per day.

Pancreatin is taken from a couple of days to several months or even years. The drug is contraindicated in acute or chronic pancreatitis. Side effects of Pancreatin include:

allergy;
inflammation of the stomach;
hyperuricosuria.

In case of psychogenic exhaustion, a neurologist or psychiatrist may prescribe medications that increase appetite. These include Periactin. It is contraindicated for stomach ulcers, asthma, increased intraocular pressure, in old age. The dosage of Periactin is 0.5–1 tablet or 1–2 tsp. syrup up to 4 times a day. The dose depends on the patient's age:

children 2–6 years old are prescribed 2 tablets or 2 tbsp. l. syrup per day;
children 6–14 years old – 3 tablets or 3 tbsp. l. syrup.

According to indications, anabolic steroids such as Andriol are used. The initial daily dosage is 120–160 mg. After 2-3 weeks it is reduced to 40-120 mg per day. The capsule should be drunk after meals, without chewing or opening. Daily dosage divided into 2 doses. Andriol is contraindicated in patients with a history of breast or prostate carcinoma. Depending on the cause and clinical picture of exhaustion, in addition to the listed drugs, the following are prescribed:

antidepressants;
antiemetic;
growth hormones;
multivitamin preparations.

For the pituitary form of depletion, treatment is based on hormone replacement therapy. It includes the following groups of drugs:

sex hormones;
deoxycorticosterone;
adrenocorticotropic hormone;
glucocorticoids (Prednisolone).

Prognosis and prevention

Any prognosis is determined by the type and severity of the disease. Cachexia in the background cancer diseases indicates that the process is neglected. As a result, the prognosis for such depletion is unfavorable. About 20–50% of patients with cancer die from cachexia. In case of depletion of other types, the patient has a chance of recovery, but subject to adequate therapy and compliance with nutritional rules. Treatment may take from several months to several years.

IN medical literature Much has been written on the topic of cachexia - what it is, diagnosis and treatment. Pathological condition manifests itself accelerated loss weight even with enhanced nutrition. The patient's physical processes slow down, weakness appears, and the mental condition. It is extremely difficult to make a forecast, so you need to apply for it as soon as possible medical assistance. IN otherwise, changes in the psyche will become irreversible.

Oncological cachexia: what kind of disease is it?

In most cases, cachexia is a condition that is provoked oncological pathology malignant in nature. Only a detailed examination can provide clarity. The sooner it is carried out, the greater the chance of increasing the life expectancy of patients.

They will help you suspect something is wrong severe symptoms. The list opens with, as mentioned earlier, rapid weight loss. Next comes constant drowsiness and weakness.

Even a full 9-hour sleep is not able to bring vigor. Rest does not help much in eliminating muscle fatigue, which gradually develops into the inability to cope with even minor physical exertion.

In addition to those already listed clinical manifestations deadly disease, there are other signs:

Thinness is accompanied by edema;
Patients experience frequent acute respiratory viral infections due to a weakened immune system;
Decreased sexual desire;
Infertility;
Reduced amount of vitamins entering the body;
Increased dryness of the skin;
Nails become brittle;
Hair weakens and falls out;
Blood pressure drops;
Frequent depression;
Neuralgic disorders.

Cancer cachexia is fatal dangerous disease, leading to weakening and subsequent complete exhaustion of the body. In the case of cancer, an initial conclusion about the presence of a problem can be made at an early stage. People in white coats strongly recommend that you stop trying to diagnose yourself and prescribe treatment.

Why does weight loss occur with cancer?

Depending on the severity of clinical manifestations, there are 2 forms of the disease. Primary – develops when nutrition is initially incorrect. There are so few nutrients in food that the body is not supplied with vital elements. The secondary form of cachexia occurs against the background of various chronic diseases.

Only a detailed examination will help to distinguish the first form from the second. It all starts with studying the factors that could provoke the disease.

The first place on this list is forced or conscious fasting. It doesn’t matter for what purpose a person deprives himself of food. If this is done without first talking to your doctor, then Negative consequences will not keep you waiting.

In addition, there are other reasons leading to the development of cachexia:

If a person has no appetite for a long time, then the doctor suspects anorexia;
Anorexia of a psychoneurological nature;
The desire to eat in a cancer patient decreases against the backdrop of prolonged use of medications that accelerate the fat burning process;
Insufficient caloric content of foods will not allow you to gain the necessary body weight;
Complications caused by chemotherapy;
Oral diseases;
Disturbances in the functioning of the stomach of a cancer patient;
Pathologies associated with improper absorption of nutrients;
Connective tissue diseases;
Autoimmune pathologies;
Severe intoxication is the most common cause among those who work in hazardous industries;
Psychiatric disorders;
Disruption of the endocrine glands;
Hepatitis or cirrhosis of any degree;
Acute forms of pathologies of the cardiovascular or respiratory system;
Acute viral pathology;
AIDS.

Doctors draw patients' attention to the mandatory nature of preventive visits to a medical facility. It is impossible to predict what exactly will act as a catalyst for a deadly process. Only annual comprehensive examinations will make it possible to determine with pinpoint accuracy whether a patient is at risk or not.

Diagnostic stage: how to prevent death from exhaustion

An extensive blood test will help determine the cause of loss of appetite. If suspected inflammatory process or bacterial infection, the patient is given an appropriate blood culture. Glucose is one of the building blocks of the entire body, so a urine test is required to determine its level.

Patients who have severe swelling are given a metabolic rate test.

It is necessary to understand whether cancer occurs congestion. Patients in whom a nutritional form of cachexia is suspected, i.e. caused poor nutrition, V mandatory visit a nutritionist's office. The doctor must understand what kind of diet against the background of oncology led to exhaustion.

In addition to the diagnostic tools already listed, a doctor has a number of others in his arsenal:

X-ray;
Gastroenterological test;
The patient may be referred to doctors of other specializations.

The last point is extremely important, because even a minor error in the diagnosis can lead to death. It is necessary to determine the root cause of the deterioration in health as accurately as possible and begin a therapeutic course. If the doctor hesitates, then with increasing exhaustion the patient will develop concomitant diseases.

How is weight loss treated for cancer?

The patient is subject to mandatory hospitalization. Depending on the diagnosis, a protein-free or, conversely, rich diet is prescribed. Depending on the severity of clinical manifestations, the patient is transferred to enhanced nutrition.

The bet is placed on high-calorie foods, saturating the body essential vitamins and minerals. Patients who have strong form exhaustion, they put in nutritional drips.

Multivitamin preparations are prescribed to normalize metabolic processes.

In addition, the therapeutic course includes the following nuances:

Antibacterial and enzyme preparations;
Hormonal agents;
If a patient is diagnosed with kwashiorkor or acute form dystrophy, prescribed intravenous administration nutrient solutions.

Cancer cachexia - what is it (video)

An acute form of dystrophy or cachexia develops against the background of an oncological neoplasm. There are many reasons for this illness, so the patient must be hospitalized. A comprehensive examination is carried out within the hospital walls. The doctor's task is to select adequate therapeutic agents. Treatment is carried out only in a hospital setting.

If the body is frequently affected by cancerous tumors of various locations, this state called cancer cachexia. IN in this case, the location of the malignant neoplasm does not matter. However, cancer cachexia develops more quickly and is more severe if there are malignant tumors in the gastrointestinal tract.

Currently, medicine has not figured out what causes cancer cachexia, but it is believed that two main factors are involved. This is an atypia of metabolism that occurs in the tumor tissue, its high need for substrates necessary for development. Also important is the toxic effect of the tumor on the metabolic process, the functions of extratumoral tissues and organs, and their structure.

As a result, with cancer cachexia, deviations in homeostasis occur that are incompatible with life. Tumors are a real trap for glucose, amino acids, lipids, using them to obtain energy and ensure the synthesis of proteins - nucleic acids, enzymes. Such a tumor has high competitiveness, which is due to the special composition of cells. Therefore, non-tumor tissues are deprived of these substrates. With cancer cachexia in various tissues, for example, in skeletal muscles, brown atrophy occurs in the liver and myocardium, and the patient develops exhaustion.

Symptoms of cancer cachexia

Cancer cachexia refers to a large number of changes that occur in the body, which are caused by the growth of a tumor and the disintegration of a tumor. In this case, the body suffering from cancer receives general poisoning. TO characteristic features should include:

Weakness
Diarrhea
Emaciation
Neuromuscular weakness
Anemia
Edema
State of delirium

If there is a malignant epithelial tumor, the development of cancer cachexia occurs in a shorter period of time, and the onset of severe degrees. In addition, the onset of tumors of the breast, skin, and uterus often occur without obvious symptoms. The course of gastric cancer is not always accompanied by cancer cachexia.

Basically, cachexia is typical for patients in whom tumor masses rapidly disintegrate during the course of the disease. Moreover, for the occurrence of cachexia, it does not matter how big the tumor is. It is known that the body has mechanisms that provide antitumor protection. They can function at every stage while the malignant tumor is developing. Despite the fact that there is an active fight against cachexia, with serious oncological factors, the death of the body can occur, since as it develops, the tumor also has mechanisms that suppress the immune system.

Treatment of cancer cachexia

According to statistics, cachexia is established if the patient has lost more than five percent of weight in six months. Treatment is ineffective if there is a stage of refractory cachexia, since the disease is already late stage. The cancer progresses rapidly without responding to chemotherapy treatment. In this case, the metabolism is catabolic, the patient lives no more than three months. If we talk about artificial nutrition, then for the patient in such a situation there is more risk than probable benefit. In this regard, the work of doctors is focused on reducing complications, as well as symptomatic treatment. Therefore, it is believed that prevention of cancer cachexia is necessary from the moment it is identified.

Nutrition control is a necessity; doctors must constantly monitor the metabolism of the sick body. Moreover, this approach applies not only to patients with gastrointestinal tumors that complicate nutrition. This is equally true for all cancer patients. It is important to keep protocols that indicate how the patient eats, his physical activity, and the presence of complaints. For example, is there nausea or lack of appetite. In general, a healthy and varied diet is of paramount importance for cancer patients. In addition, experts emphasize that oncology diets do not provide independent treatment.