Dr. Jan Arends

Presentation Roadmap/ Summary

The complexity of causes increasing the risk for and gradually leading to malnutrition will be presented. It will be highlighted that prevention and treatment of cachexia will benefit from a multi-modal multi-targeted approach involving the combined efforts of a multi-professional team.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of the presentation, the participant will be able to:

1. recognize the complexity of causes leading to malnutrition in cancer patients
2. understand that optimal treatment of cachexia requires a multi-targeted approach

Key Takeaways/ Fast Facts

• Malnutrition frequently is the result of complex derangements, including inadequate food intake, decreased physical activity and increased systemic inflammation
• Abnormalities in food intake, physical activity and metabolic state may each be caused by several different impairments acting in concert
• To optimize cachexia care it should be sought to address as best as possible all impairments detected

Key references

1. Fearon KC. Cancer cachexia: developing multimodal therapy for a multidimensional problem. Eur J Cancer 2008, 44(8):1124-32.
2. Maddocks M, Hopkinson J, Conibear J, Reeves A, Shaw C, Fearon KC. Practical multimodal care for cancer cachexia. Curr Opin Support Palliat Care 2016, 10(4):298-305.
3. Arends J. Struggling with nutrition in patients with advanced cancer: nutrition and nourishment - focusing on metabolism and supportive care. Ann Oncol 2018, 29 (Suppl_2): ii27-ii34