Nutritional Disorders in Patients with Tumourous Diseases

Overview

Tumour cachexy is a complicated process and is found in cca 50-80% patients with tumourous diseases. It is a metabolic synddrme characterized by progressive and unwanted loss of body weight. In the development of tumour-conditioned cachexy an important role is played by cytokines and other catabolizing enzymatic and hormonal factors produced by the tumour as well as the affected „host" organism. In oncological diseases a normal, reduced but also increased energy consumption was found. The majority of soud tumours use as the main source of energy anaerobnc glycolysis where lactate is formed. For oncological patients with cachexy loss of body weight associated with loss of total body fat is typical. Another typical feature of tumour-conditioned cachexy is the loss of active cellular mass and visceral protein. The greatest protein catabolism occurs in skeletal muscles. Nutritional support in tumourous diseases is effective only when anti-tumourous treatment is successful. Influencing tumour growth by diet is so far in the stage of basic research.

Key words:
tumour-conditioned cachexy - malnutrition - anorexia - cytokines - nutritional support.