doi: 10.1186/s40880-016-0129-8

The rationale for preventing cancer cachexia: targeting excessive fatty acid oxidation

Chao-Nan Qian

Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine

[Abstract] Cachexia commonly occurs at the terminal stage of cancer and has largely unclear molecular mechanisms. A recent study published in Nature Medicine, entitled “Excessive fatty acid oxidation induces muscle atrophy in cancer cachexia,” reveals that cachectic cancer cells can secrete multiple cytokines that induce excessive fatty acid oxidation, which is responsible for muscle loss in cancer cachexia. Inhibition of fatty acid oxidation using etomoxir can increase muscle mass and body weight in cancer cachexia animal models. The usage of stable cachexia animal models is also discussed in this research highlight.

Chinese Journal of Cancer 2016, Volume: 35, Issue 7

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Chao-Nan Qian. The rationale for preventing cancer cachexia: targeting excessive fatty acid oxidation. Chin J Cancer. 2016, 35:67. doi:10.1186/s40880-016-0129-8


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