Why does it seem that cancer patients are always skinny?!


Question: Why does it seem that cancer patients are always skinny!?
I have was just diagnosed with cancer and was wondering why cancer patients seem to always be skinny!. I have never seen a built cancer patient!. And do you think it would be possible to still build muscle while on chemo!?Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
I saw several thousand people with cancer in my 20 years as a cancer specialist doctor, and I can assure you that they vary greatly in physical appearance - obese, normal weight, thin, muscular - the whole range of body types!.

Of course - once many reach the end stage of the disease they have usually lost weight for the reasons mentioned above by "Jesse C!."

People with end stage malignancies often do not want to eat!. This is from the disease effects as much as the chemotherapy that many receive!. Many people with end stage cancers who are not receiving chemotherapy are also unable to eat or have poor appetites!.

Weight loss is common in many debilitating illnesses!.
100 years ago in the U!.S!. - tuberculosis was the number one killer far exceeding death rates from the many types of cancer!. Tuberculosis used to be called "consumption" because people lost weight as the disease progressed to end their lives!.

Many people have little sense of history these days!. One reason we see so much cancer is that most people live much longer!. 100 years ago the average survival was only 46 or 47 years!.

But there are young people today who develop cancers!.
I suspect you are one of the younger ones!. How old are you and what type of cancer are you battling!?

I'm sure we all wish you the best!.

By the way, Lance Armstrong had testicular cancer spread to his lungs and his brain, After chemotherapy and radiation he was cured and went on to win the Tour de France an unprecedented 7 times!. So, YES - you can rebuild muscle after cancer treatment!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

I wasn't able to eat while in hospital and for a while after I got out, so lost some weight!. Was sent home with steroids and dilaudid AND with not being able to eat, only drank juices, still put on weight and have not been able to get it off yet!. Am still undergoing chemo and not lost a lb!. Guess if I gave up my zofran, I'd throw up so often, I'd lose some weight!Www@Answer-Health@Com

Ok because all of the recorses are fighting the cancer plus they go some times three or four days or somtimes a week without eating because of the treatments they get!. i should know because my brother has leukimia!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

They are skinny because their body is using all its resources to fight the sickness (or recover from the chemo)!. Concentrate on getting better and don't worry about your bulging biceps for a while!.Www@Answer-Health@Com





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