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Uncomplicated Starvation versus Cancer Cachexia¹

Section of Surgical Metabolism, Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20014

Host starvation is a common accompaniment to the presence of cancer. Diminished intake is a major contributor to this starvation and does not require that the oropharynx or gastrointestinal tract be the primary site. There is suggestive evidence that the normal adaptive mechanisms of the nontumor-bearing host to starvation that result in body protein conservation are not functioning in the tumor-bearing host. Cancer cachexia has some similarity to the metabolic disturbances of host metabolism that are seen in major injury or sepsis. The growing tumor shows little respect for normal constraints of host tissue growth. With the widespread availability of methods of total parenteral nutrition, the interrelationship of nutrition and host-tumor growth assumes greater importance.

¹ Presented at the Conference on Nutrition and Cancer Therapy, November 29 to December 1, 1976, Key Biscayne, Fla.