Cachexia, anorexia and fatigue are all symptoms frequently experienced by patients with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses.

• Cachexia: Loss of skeletal muscle mass with or without corresponding loss of fat mass as a result of insufficient nutrient intake, nutrient malabsorption and metabolic derangement of varying degrees
  
• Anorexia: A lack of interest in food, which is often compounded by the sight and smell of meals
  
• Fatigue: Severe and unrelenting tiredness that is unresolved through rest (Fearon et al., 2011)

These symptoms are often present together intensifying in both frequency and severity towards the end of life. As symptoms, they may often be considered on a continuum with spontaneous fatigue and lack of appetite being an early indication of the metabolic derangements which eventually manifest as cachexia syndrome. Unintentional weight loss and loss of function are markers of the condition and may be early indicators of the severity of illness and of poor overall prognosis.