REVIEW article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Gastrointestinal Cancers: Colorectal Cancer
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1600425
This article is part of the Research TopicDietary Nutrition in Cancer Cachexia: Molecular Mechanisms and Treatment StrategiesView all articles
Role of Diet, Physical Activity and New Drugs in the Primary Management of Cancer Cachexia in Gastrointestinal Tumorsa comprehensive review
Provisionally accepted
- Fondazione Poliambulanza Istituto Ospedaliero, Brescia, Italy
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Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by involuntary weight loss, muscle mass reduction, and systemic inflammatory response, negatively impacting the quality of life and survival of cancer patients. In gastrointestinal tumors, cachexia prevalence can reach up to 80%, presenting a complex clinical challenge. This review aims to explore the efficacy of a multimodal approach integrating nutritional support and physical activity in cancer cachexia management. Targeted dietary strategies, such as a high-protein diet enriched with omega-3 and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), have proven effective in counteracting muscle loss and modulating inflammatory metabolism. Physical activity, particularly resistance training, contributes to preserving lean mass and improving physical function. However, current data suggest that no single strategy is sufficient to reverse cachexia, necessitating combined treatment with supportive pharmacological therapies, including progestogens, muscle metabolism modulators, and cytokine antagonists. Despite the evidence supporting these interventions, significant gaps remain, highlighting the need for randomized clinical trials to define the optimal therapeutic protocol for gastrointestinal cancer patients with cachexia.
Keywords: Cancer cachexia, Gastrointestinal tumors, Nutritional Support, physical activity, New drugs, Multimodal approach
Received: 26 Mar 2025; Accepted: 12 May 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Oneda, Manno, Noventa, Libertini, Cherri and Zaniboni. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Ester Oneda, Fondazione Poliambulanza Istituto Ospedaliero, Brescia, Italy
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