The following article examines the rationale for an inflammation-first approach for diagnosing cachexia and how the current Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) framework may be adapted to facilitate this.

Recently, the GLIM have published guidance on the measurement of inflammation in the context of cachexia, advocating that C-reactive protein (CRP) should be utilized for quantification. The inclusion of a systemic inflammatory biomarker for the diagnosis of cachexia questions whether it may be more aptly considered a systemic inflammatory syndrome.

The current consensus of the GLIM is that cachexia is ‘disease-related malnutrition with inflammation’. In line with this definition, the GLIM proposed a two-step diagnostic framework: screening for malnutrition using validated screening tools and then confirming the presence of disease-related malnutrition with phenotypic (nonvolitional weight loss, low BMI, and reduced muscle mass) and aetiologic criterion reduced food intake/assimilation, and inflammation or disease burden). The GLIM are to be commended for guidance on the measurement of systemic inflammation in their current proposal, given the relative importance to clinical outcomes in patients with cancer. However, the use of CRP is somewhat rudimentary and contrasts other cancer cachexia guidelines and contemporary clinical cancer research.