Yes. Unexplained weight loss is the most common visible sign of cancer. However, it does not mean that unexplained sudden weight loss always occurs due to cancer. The medical term for unexplained sudden weight loss is cachexia. It is also known as a ‘wasting’ disorder leading to extreme weight loss.
During cachexia, a person can lose weight due to muscle and fat loss. Cachexia can lead to no fat or muscles in the body. Cancer and its treatment often start with the loss of appetite. People with the condition suffer from a change in metabolism, nausea, vomiting, constipation, mouth sores, loss of taste, depression, pain and difficulty swallowing or chewing.
These symptoms can make people quickly lose weight. The best way to deal with cachexia is to undergo palliative care along with cancer treatment. Palliative care is a patient-centric treatment provided by experienced doctors and nurses to help relieve the signs and symptoms of cancer. Through palliative care, nurses can closely monitor the reason for weight loss and find a solution to prevent sudden weight loss. As weight loss can remain unexplained among people with cancer, palliative care can find the cause to develop a potential solution.
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