The Unknown and Misdiagnosed Syndrome That Can Be Fatal

Most people haven’t heard of a wasting syndrome called cachexia – even though it will be a factor in roughly a third of the 600,000 cancer deaths this year in the U.S.?

If you haven’t heard of cachexia, there’s a reason. There aren’t high profile education campaigns. And doctors don’t spend much time talking about it.?

Many people – physicians included – have long viewed cachexia as the inevitable consequence of cancer or other chronic illnesses. Adding to that sense of futility is the fact that there are no effective treatments.?

On top of that, many patients are misdiagnosed. There is no universally accepted screening tool and symptoms tend to overlap with other conditions.?

The result: The condition has been largely ignored.?

Throughout the years, we’ve focused on the idea that if we kill the cancer, cachexia will go away. But that approach doesn’t recognize cachexia’s impact on a patient's quality of life or their mortality.?

Patients diagnosed with cachexia are limited in their treatment options because they suffer from fat and muscle wasting. A weakened physical condition makes it challenging to handle chemotherapy. Many times, patients aren’t even eligible for advanced stage clinical trials, which leaves them with few remaining options.???

This all underscores the need for continued investment in education and research to achieve optimal patient outcomes. Being a part of Endevica Bio, a company that is researching a drug to treat cachexia, makes me hopeful for the future.?

Successfully addressing cachexia would allow patients to better tolerate the most effective treatments for their underlying disease. And that, in turn, could save an untold number of lives.?

Daniel Marks is Endevica Bio’s Chief Medical and Scientific Officer.?