Journal article
An immunological panacea for cancer-related cachexia
Trends in cancer, Vol.12(8), pp.755-768
08/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2026.06.005
PMID: 42342529
Abstract
Cancer cachexia, responsible for up to 30% of cancer deaths, has transitioned conceptually from a mere nutritional deficit into a highly coordinated, multi-organ immunometabolic network that systematically dismantles host homeostasis. This review synthesizes the paradigm-shifting discoveries that position the immune system as the central conductor of tissue wasting. We delineate how redundant inflammatory cascades, neuro-immune circuits, and local cellular plasticity converge to drive muscle and adipose catabolism. Furthermore, we dissect the metabolic competition for nutrients between tumor cells and host immunity, which accelerates structural degradation. Finally, we highlight how single-cell multiomics, spatial transcriptomics, and artificial intelligence are redefining clinical stratification, shifting the therapeutic horizon toward individualized, multi-node immunometabolic interventions, thereby providing a theoretical framework for the management of cachectic wasting syndrome.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- An immunological panacea for cancer-related cachexia
- Creators
- Jingyu Xue - Sichuan UniversityTianyi Lu - Sichuan UniversityKailin Yang - Cleveland ClinicAlexander Birbrair - University of Wisconsin–MadisonShengtao Zhou - Sichuan University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Trends in cancer, Vol.12(8), pp.755-768
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.trecan.2026.06.005
- PMID
- 42342529
- NLM abbreviation
- Trends Cancer
- ISSN
- 2405-8025
- eISSN
- 2405-8025
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Grant note
- National Key Research and Development Program of China: 2022YFA1106600 National Natural Science Foundation of China: 82325039, 82273255, 81822034, 81821002 Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases-National Science and Technology Maj or Project: 2023ZD0500300 HE Research Fellowships from the HE Science Foundation
This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFA1106600 to S.Z.), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82325039, 82273255, 81822034, and 81821002 to S.Z.), the Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases-National Science and Technology Major Project (2023ZD0500300 to S.Z.), and the HE Research Fellowships from the HE Science Foundation to S.Z. All illustrations were created using BioRender.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 06/24/2026
- Date published
- 08/2026
- Academic Unit
- Radiation Oncology
- Record Identifier
- 9985176655402771
Metrics
8 Record Views