BACKGROUND: Experimental models of cancer cachexia have indicated that inflammation induces muscle-protein breakdown and wasting via muscular transcription factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation. This process may efficacy of nutritional intervention. OBJECTIVES: We assessed muscle NF- activity and protein turnover signaling in progressive stages of cancer cachexia and assessed whether circulating factors can induce NF-kappaB activity. DESIGN: Patients with lung cancer precachexia (n = cachexia (n = 16) were cross-sectionally compared with 22 healthy subjects. mRNA transcripts of muscle proteolytic (ubiquitin proteasome autophagy lysosomal pathway) and myogenic markers, and protein PI3K/Akt, myostatin, and autophagy signaling were measured. A ...