The burning furnace: Alteration in lipid metabolism in cancer-associated cachexia

Cancer cachexia can be defined as a complex metabolic syndrome characterized by weight loss, anorexia, and emaciation due to the wasting of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle. In the last decade, much research has been done to decipher the role of lipid metabolism in cancer cachexia. Tumors, as well as host-derived factors, cause major metabolic changes in the body. Metabolic changes lead to higher energy expenditure by the host. To meet the high energy demand, the host utilizes fat depots stored in adipose tissues by a process known as lipolysis. High catabolic and low anabolic response leads to loss of adipose tissue. A significant insight has been made regarding adipose tissue "browning" bestow on thermogenic activities of adipocytes that result in catabolic energy expenditure. Both lipolysis and WAT browning play an important role in exhaustion adipose tissue. The goal of this review is to summarise what is currently known and about altered lipid metabolism and its utilization in cancer cachexia.