What is it about?
Cachexia is an extremely serious syndrome which occurs in most patients with different cancers. It is characterized by an important involuntary loss of body mass an inflammation. This underestimated and often untreated syndrome has a dramatic impact on the patient's quality of life and it is also associated with a low response to chemotherapy leading to a decrease in survival. Skeletal muscle system can act as an endocrine organ, sending signals to other organs through its own cytokines and some proteins, called myokines. Some of the most important myokines that could have potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets are myostatin, irisin, myonectin, decorin, fibroblast growth factor 21, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and interleukin-15. New research is needed in this area to understand this complex phenomenon and ultimately find treatment methods and therapeutic targets.
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Why is it important?
In this review we highlighted the most recent studies regarding the role of myokines in muscle cachexia and showed which of these myokines could provide the basis for new research in finding biomarkers to define the degree of cachexia. In addition, these biomarkers could be potential therapeutic targets for reducing the cachexia phenomenon and improving the condition of cancer patients.
Perspectives
This publication makes a synthesis of the research on myokines as the therapeutic targets in reducing muscular cachexia and may provide a basis for other studies in the same field. Healing or at least reducing cachexia can be one of the pillars of support for the fight against cancer.
Dr. Emilia Manole
"Victor Babes" National Institute of Pathology
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Myokines as Possible Therapeutic Targets in Cancer Cachexia, Journal of Immunology Research, October 2018, Hindawi Publishing Corporation,
DOI: 10.1155/2018/8260742.
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