. 2021 Aug 7;24(1):112–126. doi: 10.1007/s12094-021-02674-x

Table 3.

Overview of different definitions of cancer cachexia

Adapted from Mitchell et al. [35] and Vanhoutte et al. [78]

Study	Criteria
Evans et al. [79]	Weight loss of at least 5% in 12 months or less in the presence of underlying illness, plus three of the following criteria: Decreased muscle strength (lowest tertile) Fatigue Anorexia Low fat-free mass index Abnormal biochemistry Increased inflammatory markers (CRP > 5.0 mg/l, IL-6 > 4.0 pg/mL) Anemia (HGB < 12 g/dL) Low serum albumin (Alb < 3.2 g/dL)
Bozzetti and Mariani [SCRINIO] [80]	Weight loss ≥ 10% and presence of at least 1 symptom of anorexia, fatigue, or early satiation
Fearon et al. [EPCRC] [81]	Weight loss > 5% over past 6 months (in absence of simple starvation) or BMI < 20 and any degree of weight loss > 2% or appendicular skeletal muscle index consistent with sarcopenia (male < 7.26 kg/m²; female < 5.45 kg/m²) and any degree of weight loss > 2%

Study

Criteria

Evans et al. [79]

Weight loss of at least 5% in 12 months or less in the presence of underlying illness, plus three of the following criteria:

Decreased muscle strength (lowest tertile)

Fatigue

Anorexia

Low fat-free mass index

Abnormal biochemistry

Increased inflammatory markers (CRP > 5.0 mg/l, IL-6 > 4.0 pg/mL)

Anemia (HGB < 12 g/dL)

Low serum albumin (Alb < 3.2 g/dL)

Bozzetti and Mariani [SCRINIO] [80]

Weight loss ≥ 10% and presence of at least 1 symptom of anorexia, fatigue, or early satiation

Fearon et al. [EPCRC] [81]

Weight loss > 5% over past 6 months (in absence of simple starvation) or BMI < 20 and any degree of weight loss > 2% or appendicular skeletal muscle index consistent with sarcopenia (male < 7.26 kg/m²; female < 5.45 kg/m²) and any degree of weight loss > 2%

CRP C-reactive protein, IL-6 interleukin-6, HGB hemoglobin