Comparing Two Classifications of Cancer Cachexia and Their Association with Survival in Patients with Unresected Pancreatic Cancer

There is no universally accepted definition of cancer cachexia. Two classifications have been proposed; the 3-factor classification requiring >= 2 of 3 factors; weight loss >= 10%, food intake <= 1500 kcal/day, and C-reactive protein >= 10mg/l, and the consensus classification requiring weight loss >5% the past 6 mo, or body mass index <20kg/m(2) or sarcopenia, both with ongoing weight loss >2%. Precachexia is the initial stage of the cachexia trajectory, identified by weight loss <= 5%, anorexia and metabolic change. We examined the consistency between the 2 classifications, and their association with survival in a palliative cohort of 45 (25 men, median age of 72yr, range 35-89) unresected pancreatic cancer patients. Computed tomography images were used to determine sarcopenia. Height/weight/C-reactive protein and survival were extracted from medical records. Food intake was self-reported. The agreement for cachexia and noncachexia was 78% across classifications. Survival was poorer in cachexia compared to noncachexia (3-factor classification, P = 0.0052; consensus classification, P = 0.056; when precachexia was included in the consensus classification, P = 0.027). Both classifications showed a trend toward lower median survival (P < 0.05) with the presence of cachexia. In conclusion, the two classifications showed good overall agreement in defining cachectic pancreatic cancer patients, and cachexia was associated with poorer survival according to both.