Michel Kathryn E, Sorenmo Karin, Shofer Frances S
Department of Clinical Studies-Phila, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6010, USA.
J Vet Intern Med. 2004 Sep-Oct;18(5):692-5. doi: 10.1892/0891-6640(2004)18<692:eobcaw>2.0.co;2.
Cancer cachexia is a well-recognized syndrome in human patients that is characterized by progressive involuntary weight loss. The prevalence of this syndrome in veterinary cancer patients is unknown. This study's objective was to investigate the occurrence of weight loss and cachexia, as characterized by body condition scoring, in dogs presented to a veterinary oncology service. Information collected on 100 dogs included signalment, diagnosis, weight at time of diagnosis, and, when available, weight from a time approximately 12 months before diagnosis. Body condition was assessed by using a 9-point system based on body silhouette and palpation of adipose tissue (4-5 = optimal, 1 = extreme cachexia, 9 = extreme obesity). Muscle wasting was scored based on palpation of skeletal muscle (3 = no wasting, 2 = mild, 1 = moderate, 0 = severe). Only 4% of the dogs exhibited cachexia as defined by a body condition score < or = 3, whereas 29% were classified as markedly overweight (> or = 7). Fifteen percent had evidence of clinically relevant muscle wasting (< or = 1). Body weight from a time before the diagnosis of cancer was available for 64 dogs. At the time of diagnosis, 31% had maintained or gained weight, 31% had lost up to 5%, 14% had lost between 5 and 10%, and 23% had lost >10% of body weight. Overall, the percentage of dogs with signs indicating a decline in nutritional status was less than what has been reported for human cancer patients. Future studies should investigate the extent to which weight loss occurs in canine patients on an appropriate plane of nutrition as well as to establish whether an association exists between poor nutritional status and outcome in canine cancer patients.
癌症恶病质是人类患者中一种广为人知的综合征，其特征是进行性非自愿体重减轻。这种综合征在兽医癌症患者中的患病率尚不清楚。本研究的目的是调查就诊于兽医肿瘤服务机构的犬只中体重减轻和恶病质的发生情况，以身体状况评分来表征。收集的100只犬的信息包括特征、诊断、诊断时的体重，以及在可获得的情况下，诊断前约12个月时的体重。通过使用基于身体轮廓和脂肪组织触诊的9分制来评估身体状况（4 - 5分为最佳，1分为极度恶病质，9分为极度肥胖）。根据骨骼肌触诊对肌肉消耗进行评分（3分表示无消耗，2分为轻度，1分为中度，0分为重度）。只有4%的犬表现出身体状况评分≤3所定义的恶病质，而29%被归类为明显超重（≥7分）。15%有临床相关肌肉消耗的证据（≤1分）。64只犬有癌症诊断前的体重数据。在诊断时，31%的犬体重维持或增加，31%的犬体重减轻了5%以内，14%的犬体重减轻了5%至10%，23%的犬体重减轻超过了10%。总体而言，有营养状况下降迹象的犬的百分比低于人类癌症患者的报告值。未来的研究应调查在适当营养水平下犬类患者体重减轻的程度，以及确定营养状况不佳与犬类癌症患者预后之间是否存在关联。
