Nature Medicine, Published online: 13 October 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04720-z
In 52,236 patients with cancer, cachectic weight loss episodes were linked to lower survival rates, occurred at times of disease progression, and carried a consistent serological signature across routine laboratory markers. Specific tumor genotypes, including TP53 mutations, were also positively associated with cachexia risk. Statistical models were trained to predict a patient’s impending risk of cachexia.
