Pretreatment cancer-associated weight loss is common, even in early-stage disease, and is independently associated with reduced survival. Minimal weight loss represents a clinically distinct entity with an associated overall survival intermediate to that of no weight loss and overt wasting. Early diagnosis and treatment of cancer-associated wasting offers a novel therapeutic avenue for reducing cancer mortality.

PCR provides supplemental information for diagnostic confirmation through an increased rate of detection of bacteria. The timing of results and the inability to provide antibiotic sensitivity are factors that limit its clinical usefulness currently.