MSKCC Study Links TP53 Mutations and Blood Biomarkers to Cancer Cachexia Risk
Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) analyzed data from over 52,000 patients to map the trajectory of cancer cachexia, a wasting syndrome affecting half of all cancer patients. The study found that cachectic weight loss episodes cluster around disease progression and are linked to poor outcomes across nearly all cancer types. A consistent serologic signature, including low albumin and hemoglobin, was identified alongside specific tumor genotypes, particularly TP53 mutations, which increase the risk of cachexia. A predictive model developed for lung, colorectal, and prostate cancer was validated in an external cohort at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, demonstrating that routine clinicogenomic data can be used to forecast weight loss risk.