Israeli-U.S. study stops cancer weight loss via nerve intervention-Xinhua

JERUSALEM, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) — Israeli and U.S. researchers have discovered that disrupted brain-liver communication drives severe weight loss, or cachexia, in cancer patients, Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science said Thursday in a statement.

The study, published in Cell, found that cancer-induced inflammation damages the vagus nerve, a major pathway between the brain and liver, triggering the depletion of muscle and fat linked to nearly a third of cancer deaths, read the statement.

Researchers blocked the right vagus nerve in mice non-invasively, preventing cachexia and improving their response to chemotherapy, read the statement, noting that the method boosted survival rates and overall health, with human trials underway.

According to the researchers, using clinically approved technologies, the study promises rapid patient access, offering hope for up to 85 percent of cancer patients suffering from extreme weight loss in some types of cancer, such as pancreatic and lung tumors.

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