Anorexia and the Cancer Patient

Appetite influences perceived quality of life for a dog or cat with cancer. Inappetence often is multifactorial, complicating treatment. Cancer-related anorexia/cachexia syndrome is a metabolic, paraneoplastic syndrome characterized by decreased food intake, involuntary weight loss, and loss of fat and muscle. If weight loss/cachexia has an impact on canine and feline cancer patients as in humans, management may improve survival times and quality of life. The challenge is having effective, proved therapies available for clinical use. Recent Food and Drug Administration approvals for appetite stimulation have renewed interest and discussion and has the potential to alter the course of case management.