title: Cachexia, malnutrition, the refeeding syndrome, and lessons from Goldilocks.
abstract: Cachexia has plagued clinicians for centuries. Although all cachexia is related to malnutrition, cachexia associated with malignant diseases differs from starvation cachexia in that it is more recalcitrant to nutritional therapy. All cachexia responds to judicious nutritional support; however, cancer cachexia worsens autonomously as the disease advances and cannot be arrested or reversed by any known form of nutrition, hormonal, or pharmacologic therapy. Cachexia must be treated cautiously to avoid overfeeding syndrome, which may result in serious or dangerous complications or death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
authors.forename: J Alexander
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Palesty
authors.forename: Stanley J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Dudrick
mesh_terms: D002100:Cachexia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000378:metabolism; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000378:metabolism; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008286:Malabsorption Syndromes / Q000209:etiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D055677:Refeeding Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012528:Satiety Response / Q000502:physiology; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins