title: Translational implications of novel findings in cancer cachexia:  the use of metabolomics and the potential of cardiac malfunction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cancer cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome that manifests as a progressive wasting disorder. Recent findings have substantially improved our understanding of this unique entity shedding light on a potentially significant and overlooked morbidity in the form of cardiac functional changes that may occur in tandem with cachexia. Moreover, recent technological advances, such as with the application of metabolomic analysis, have yielded a better understanding of the metabolic changes that accompany this condition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent evidence from murine studies indicates that the skeletal muscle wasting in cancer cachexia may be accompanied by cardiac muscle wasting. This decreased heart weight is accompanied by functional cardiac changes, which are suggestive of congestive heart failure. In addition, metabolomic analysis of body fluids and tissues distinguishes cancer cachexia's unique metabolic fingerprint as a separate entity, different from healthy controls, tumor burden, caloric restriction, and aging. It also gives insight into the metabolic changes that occur in the affected tissues such as the Warburg effect that is not often described in muscle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Translational investigations into potential cardiac malfunction in cancer patients and metabolomic analyses of patients' sera and tissues are warranted to determine whether these changes are upheld in humans.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA.
authors.forename: Hirak
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Der-Torossian
authors.forename: Christine G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Gourin
authors.forename: Marion E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Couch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002100:Cachexia / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D055432:Metabolomics; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical