Plural of cachexia; conditions of extreme physical weakness and wasting of the body, usually caused by serious illness or malnutrition.
From Greek 'kakos' (bad) + 'hexis' (condition/state), first used in medical contexts around the 1600s. The term evolved from ancient Greek medical theory to describe the general decline of the body in disease.
Cancer cachexia is a tragic condition where patients lose weight and muscle even when eating well—their bodies literally consume themselves because cancer cells send out chemicals that change metabolism. It's one reason why cancer is so devastating beyond just the tumors themselves.
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