Advances in Immunonutrient Application to Treat Cancer Cachexia Syndrome

摘要

Cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by the loss of body weight,and has been observed in more than 50%of cancer patients.It arises as a result of anorexia and increased energy expenditure,leads to a reduced tolerance of cancer therapy and a reduced quality of life,resulting in a poorer prognosis and decreased survival.In the past few years,tremendous achievements have been made in cancer cachexia research.Systemic inflammation has been proven to play important roles in the etiology of cancer cachexia,leading to functional impairment and rapid deterioration,which suggests that anti-inflammatory agents may represent a promising strategy for cancer cachexia treatment.Thus,a variety of agents have been postulated to treat cachexia,with modulation of inflammation,the immune response,and reactive oxygen species being the most promising.Some immune-enhancing nutrients,‘immunonutrients’,such asω-3 fatty acids,arginine,nucleotides,L-carnitine,probiotics,phytochemicals,and specific minerals have been tested for their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties.They have also been used to treat,prevent or attenuate cancer cachexia in both experimental models and clinical trials.A number of studies on the use of immunonutrients for the treatment of cancer cachexia have been published over the past decade,with some promising results supporting the routine use of immune-enhancing formulas in patients with cachexia.However,the effects and efficacy of these substances have not been conclusively proven.In this review,we discuss recent studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer cachexia and the application of several immunonutrients.