ABSTRACT
This chapter considers all the patient's symptoms and all the information available to doctors and assesses the symptoms, signs and information given using this to choose the appropriate remedies for the problem and offers extra information where available and appropriate. Cachexia is more common in solid tumours of the lung, gut and pancreas, but less common in breast cancer. With the exception of breast cancer, the size of the tumour and the amount of weight lost do not seem to be correlated. Cachexia is a complex mix of symptoms comprising the following: anaemia, anorexia, organ dysfunction, reduced appetite and feeling full, wasting of muscles, weakness and weight loss. There are a number of causes of cancer cachexia, including the following: decreased nutritional intake, increased nutritional losses, metabolic changes, poor appetite or poor eating habits, psychological problems, including depression, resulting in failure to look after oneself and treatment side-effects.
