Many patients with cancer develop a serious and currently incurable condition called cachexia, which is characterized by rapid weight and muscle loss and is responsible for nearly one-third of cancer-related deaths. Cachexia is driven in part by inflammation affecting the parasympathetic nervous system and liver function.
Since the vagus nerve regulates the parasympathetic nervous system, Xiling Shen, Ph.D., and colleagues examined its role in cancer-associated cachexia. Preclinical models and patient blood samples showed that cancer progression triggers inflammation, significantly elevating levels of the CCL2 protein, disrupting communication along the vagus nerve and leading to lower levels of a key liver function regulator. The findings suggest that targeting this neuroinflammatory pathway by non-invasive, electronic wearables is a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent or delay the onset of cancer-associated cachexia.