The effect of diet consistency on food intake of anorectic tumor-bearing rats.

Delayed gastric emptying has been shown to occur in cancer patients complaining of anorexia and early satiety. Given that liquids are emptied from the stomach faster than solid food, the present study was undertaken to determine if diet consistency would affect food intake of hypophagic rats implanted with the Walker 256 carcinosarcoma. By Day 15 of tumor-growth, caloric intake of tumor-bearing animals was 20% less than controls. The caloric intake of tumor-bearing animals fed a liquid diet was not significantly different from animals fed a solid diet. Furthermore, a delay in gastric emptying was not seen in this animal model of tumor-induced anorexia.