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7413176 
Journal Article 
Cachexia/Anorexia and Feeding Difficulties 
Agar, M; Razmovski-Naumovski, V; , 
2019 
Springer International Publishing 
Cham 
Textbook of Palliative Care 
275-293 
Symptoms related to anorexia (loss of appetite), cachexia (muscle loss and wasting) and dysphagia (reduced ability to eat) are devastating for a person with a palliative illness and their families. They are common, especially as illness advances, and occur in both malignant and nonmalignant illness. Not only do the conditions serve as a visual reminder of the chronic disease, they also affect the psychology governing the social aspects of eating. For many years, anorexia, cachexia and dysphagia as distinct conditions were overlooked by healthcare professionals and researchers as the focus was on the primary chronic illness instead (Fearon et al., Understanding the mechanisms and treatment options in cancer cachexia. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 10(2):90–99, 2013). Clinical research, particularly in the field of cancer cachexia, has gained new insight in the pathogenesis and management of the conditions including anorexia and dysphagia. This chapter will define the conditions and outline the epidemiology, etiology and pathophysiology and assessment and management of these symptoms.