THE ROLE OF CHRONIC INFLAMMATION IN CANCER CACHEXIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR MUSCLE WASTING AND COGNITIVE DECLINE

Abstract

Cancer cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome marked by involuntary weight loss, systemic inflammation, skeletal muscle atrophy, and increasingly recognized cognitive decline. This study aimed to investigate the role of chronic inflammation as a central mediator of both muscle wasting and neurocognitive impairment in patients with advanced-stage malignancies. In a prospective, longitudinal cohort of 100 cancer patients meeting clinical cachexia criteria, we evaluated inflammatory biomarkers (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, CRP), muscle mass via DEXA scanning, and cognitive performance using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months. Our results demonstrated significant and progressive declines in muscle mass (mean loss of 4.7 kg) and cognitive scores (mean MoCA reduction of 4.2 points) over the 12-month period. Elevated inflammatory markers were consistently and inversely correlated with both clinical outcomes; IL-6 showed the strongest association with muscle loss (r = -0.62) and cognitive decline (r = -0.52).The repeated metrics ANOVA showed statistically significant outcomes during the time period (p < 0.001).  The regression modeling indicated IL-6 and CRP as independent threat factors for progressive deterioration of muscle and cognitive functions after controlling variables like age alongside tumor type and therapy type.  The obtained data supports research demonstrating that systemic inflammation generates both neuroinflammatory conditions and muscle wasting effects in the cancer patient population.  This study advances existing knowledge simultaneously through analysis of both physical and cognitive aspects under the same inflammatory experimental method.  The results demonstrate the acute necessity for integrated inflammatory treatment strategies to preserve physical function in addition to cognitive abilities of cancer patients.  The study introduces foundations for future treatment developments while demonstrating the requirement of routine inflammatory profiling with cognitive assessments during cachexia clinical treatment.