Cachexia in chronic diseases and chemotherapy
Advice on health categories
Cachexia is the term used for the weight loss, muscle wastage (atrophy), and fatigue associated with late stage, long term and/or chronic conditions (e.g. Cancer, HIV/AIDS, muscular sclerosis). Cachexia is also used in association with the effects of chemotherapy medication in cancer treatment.
Studies of patients with cachexia should be coded based on the underlying causal condition, but follow the rules for sequelae and side effects as appropriate.
e.g. Assessment of cancer patients with cachexia should be coded as 100% Cancer and neoplasms.
e.g. Assessment of depression in cancer patients with cachexia should be coded as 50% Mental Health, 50% Cancer.
Main inclusion criteria
All types of neoplasms, including benign, potentially malignant, malignant (cancer) and canerous growths. This includes leukaemia and mesothelioma.
Advice on health categories
Do not code to the site of the cancer. However if the research involves studying a condition that predisposes to cancer then it may be appropriate to code for this condition as well.
e.g. The role of Barrett’s oesophagus in cancer would be 50% Oral and Gastrointestinal and 50% Cancer.
Similarly research on pathogens associated with the development of cancer should be coded as 50% Cancer and 50% Infection.
Studies of the normal role of oncogenes, tumour suppressor genes, and cell cycle checkpoints in a non diseased cell should be coded as 50% Generic Health Relevance and 50% Cancer.
Excludes general studies of angiogenesis which should be coded as Cardiovascular. However the development of anti-angiogenic drugs to inhibit tumour growth would be coded as Cancer.
Excludes normal studies of cell cycle and DNA replication and repair which should be coded as Generic.
Official terminology
|
Full name of category |
Short name | Unique ID |
| Cancer | Cancer |
HRCS_HC_02CAN |
Related external links
International Classification of Diseases (ICD 10 v2016) – Chapter II: Neoplasms (C00-D48)