Muscle Wasting and Fatigue in Cancer Patients

Definition: Muscle wasting is a weakening, shrinking, and loss of muscle caused by disease or lack of use. Muscle wasting decreases strength and the ability to move.

Notes by Marcie:

Muscle wasting is estimated to occur in 50% of all cancer patients, and accounts for the death of 30% of all cancer patients. In researching this, I located paper after paper that described this loss of muscle in cancer patients that not a whole lot of research has been done on, and that there are no effective treatments for. It is said that it occurs even where normal amounts of food are eaten, that nutritional supplements do not seem effective against it, and while there have been some new breakthroughs in recent research to shed more light on it, there is still no effective treatment. It is suspected that this is the cause of the fatigue associated with cancer, and inactivity related to the fatigue contributes to muscle wasting also. Exercise is being studied as a help, but there has not been enough research done at this point for any answers.

In my particular case, this last summer (2006) when my cancer growth subsided I was able to gradually increase activity, and food intake to the point where I regained muscle and flexibility that had been lost due to forced bed rest, a broken ankle, and the inactivity or rest needed to function while taking chemo treatments.

This fall, from mid-September to mid-November, my cancer began rapid growth again and in the space of those two months, I actually lost all the muscle tone, flexibility, strength and stamina that were hard-won over the summer. This is an insidious thing, and all patients need to actively work to keep themselves as fit as they possibly can to avoid the damage it can do, until the medical community comes up with something to treat it. Below is a list of recommended ways in which to help add the proteins missing from patients with muscle-wasting syndrome:

Increase protein and calories in the diet.
Eat smaller, but more frequent meals.
Add powdered milk to foods and beverages.
Drink mainly calorie-containing beverages such as juices, milk, or sweetened drinks.
Add extra eggs or egg whites to foods. Never use raw eggs as they may contain salmonella which would further compromise a person who is immune-suppressed. Raw eggs also contain a vitamin binder.
Add diced meat or cheese to sauces, vegetables, soups, and casseroles.
Snack throughout the day on calorie-dense foods such as nuts, hard candy, and dried fruits.
Consider using commercially available nutrition supplements. You can make your own high-calorie shake by using an instant breakfast drink mix with milk, fruit, cookies, peanut butter, or other favorite mixers.
Increasing fats in the diet is an excellent way to increase energy consumption, if you are tolerating fats. Add margarine or butter to breads and vegetables. Add gravies and sauces to foods in liberal amounts.
If you are unable to digest fat, consult with your physician or dietitian for alternative fat sources. Supplements containing medium-chain triglycerides are often recommended for this purpose.
Note: See Oncology Treatment Diet for many ideas to increase protein and weight

Page Created December 5, 2006