A solid tumour can cause muscle cells in the body to self-destruct. Many cancer patients die from the consequences. Now researchers are discovering more about how cancer cells in a tumour can take control of muscle cell wasting and trigger a chronic, serious condition.
This type of cancer-related muscle wasting is due to a complicated metabolic syndrome called cachexia. The name comes from the Greek words for “bad condition”, which is quite descriptive for the health state of patients after a tumour has triggered muscle atrophy in their bodies over a long period.
I have seen this numerous times at the Oncology Clinic. Not something that has really affected me, although my tumour is/was relatively small and I never stopped working or exercising. I believe that many years ago Cancer was termed as a wasting disease or consumption as well as with TB.
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