Editing Cachexia (section)

===Current Criteria for Diagnosing Cachexia ===
Cancer cachexia is now diagnosed based on:

# Unwanted weight loss of more than 5% within 6 months.<ref name="fearon-2011" /><ref name="nishikawa-2021">{{Cite journal |last1=Nishikawa |first1=Hiroki |last2=Goto |first2=Masahiro |last3=Fukunishi |first3=Shinya |last4=Asai |first4=Akira |last5=Nishiguchi |first5=Shuhei |last6=Higuchi |first6=Kazuhide |date=2021-08-06 |title=Cancer Cachexia: Its Mechanism and Clinical Significance |journal=International Journal of Molecular Sciences |language=en |volume=22 |issue=16 |pages=8491 |doi=10.3390/ijms22168491 |doi-access=free |issn=1422-0067 |pmc=8395185 |pmid=34445197}}</ref> 
# For people with a BMI of less than 20&nbsp;kg/m<sup>2</sup>, weight loss of more than 2%.<ref name="fearon-2011" /><ref name="nishikawa-2021" /><ref name="Biswas" /> 
# For people with sarcopenia, weight loss of more than 2%.<ref name="fearon-2011" /><ref name="nishikawa-2021" /><ref name="Biswas" />  
New ways to score and stage cachexia are being explored, particularly in people with advanced cancer.<ref name="nishikawa-2021" />

==== Scoring systems for Cachexia ====
To better understand how bad cachexia is in each person, doctors now use scoring systems like the Cachexia Staging Score and Cachexia Score.<ref name="nishikawa-2021" />

The ''Cachexia Staging Score (CSS)'' looks at weight loss, muscle function, appetite loss, and lab test results to categorize people into four stages: non-cachexia, pre-cachexia, cachexia, and refractory cachexia.<ref name="dev-2019" /> Those in more advanced stages have less muscle mass, more frequent age-related muscle loss, worse symptoms, poorer quality of life, as well as shorter survival periods.<ref name="nishikawa-2021" />

==== Staging ====

* Non-cachexia (0-2 points) - No major weight loss or problems with appetite.<ref name="nishikawa-2021" />
* Pre-cachexia (3-4 points) - Mild weight loss and appetite issues. Early treatment at this stage might slow progression of cachexia.<ref name="nishikawa-2021" />
* Cachexia (5-8 points) - Significant muscle loss that is difficult to reverse and affects daily function.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Arends |first=J. |last2=Baracos |first2=V. |last3=Bertz |first3=H. |last4=Bozzetti |first4=F. |last5=Calder |first5=P.C. |last6=Deutz |first6=N.E.P. |last7=Erickson |first7=N. |last8=Laviano |first8=A. |last9=Lisanti |first9=M.P. |last10=Lobo |first10=D.N. |last11=McMillan |first11=D.C. |last12=Muscaritoli |first12=M. |last13=Ockenga |first13=J. |last14=Pirlich |first14=M. |last15=Strasser |first15=F. |date=October 2017 |title=ESPEN expert group recommendations for action against cancer-related malnutrition |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0261561417302285 |journal=Clinical Nutrition |language=en |volume=36 |issue=5 |pages=1187–1196 |doi=10.1016/j.clnu.2017.06.017}}</ref>
* Refractory cachexia (9-12 points) - Severe weight and muscle loss with poor response to treatment and a life expectancy of less than 3 months.<ref name="nishikawa-2021" />

The ''Cachexia SCOre (CASCO)'' is another scoring system that looks at weight loss, inflammation, metabolism, immune function, physical ability, appetite, and quality of life to provide a more detailed assessment.<ref name="dev-2019" />