Mechanisms of metabolic dysfunction in cancer-associated cachexia
- 1Department of Oncology, The Medical Research Council Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdon;
- 2Genes, Development, and Disease Group, Cancer Cell Biology Programme, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, Madrid 28029, Spain
- Corresponding authors: ewagner{at}cnio.es, mp753{at}cam.ac.uk
Abstract
Metabolic dysfunction contributes to the clinical deterioration observed in advanced cancer patients and is characterized by weight loss, skeletal muscle wasting, and atrophy of the adipose tissue. This systemic syndrome, termed cancer-associated cachexia (CAC), is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. While once attributed solely to decreased food intake, the present description of cancer cachexia is a disorder of multiorgan energy imbalance. Here we review the molecules and pathways responsible for metabolic dysfunction in CAC and the ideas that led to the current understanding.
Keywords
- cancer-associated cachexia (CAC)
- metabolic failure
- white adipose tissue (WAT) browning
- skeletal muscle atrophy
Footnotes
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Article is online at http://www.genesdev.org/cgi/doi/10.1101/gad.276733.115.
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