title: Terminology in cancer cachexia:  importance and status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article reviews the current status of the definition of cancer cachexia, and comments on future initiatives to refine it and to use it as a foundation for a cancer cachexia classification system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There has been a plethora of work by expert panels defining cachexia. Stemming from this work, an expert panel has published a definition of cancer cachexia and a three level staging system: precachexia, cachexia, and refractory cachexia. Colleagues in the cancer pain field have put forward a sophisticated pain classification system. Work to develop a similar classification system for cachexia is now commencing. Aside from improved communication, these efforts may also enable the oncology community to better appreciate the importance of cancer cachexia and to participate in interdisciplinary treatment programmes to combat cachexia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quest to determine the pathophysiology of cancer cachexia and to use this knowledge to identify patient subsets will further research. Equally important, the fruits of this endeavour will lead to a higher priority for addressing cachexia with consequent development of a multimodal approach to management.
authors.affiliation: Gerald Bronfman Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: MacDonald
mesh_terms: D000855:Anorexia / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D002100:Cachexia / Q000145:classification* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D002149:Energy Intake; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life