Will China soon be a global power supplier?

The situation in discussion

Laos lies almost entirely within the lower Mekong river basin. And, companies in China have contracted the building of multiple large-scale hydropower dams on this river. These big dams have big drawbacks.

Leaving aside the steep social and environmental costs, Chinese-built dams on the Mekong river have left the nation of Laos with an abundance of electricity; so much that it needs a quick implementation of a profitable distribution plan. Xie Quiye, the current president of the Electric Power Planning and Engineering Institute has been given the charge of developing one.

With this responsibility being charged on Xie, he has put forth a proposal of Laos transporting its electricity to nations embarked in the entire of the continent’s south-east. According to him, being a regional power hub, not only will Laos be freed from its glut, but this initiative will also be a profitable marriage between the various power markets in the world.

However, energy and power industry analysts claim that the overburdened situation of Laos is being aggravated by additional companies stepping in to compete for more dam contracts. Will Xie’s plan stand this challenge?

Testing Xie’s concept

It’s feasibility

To be transporting electricity to the distances aimed at, at the first glance, it may not seem economical. But China’s ultra-high voltage cable (UHV) technology has enabled it to transport heavy energy loads with assured safety standards at affordable prices.

It is about a decade old technology that is capable of matching generation to consumption demands effectively and also reducing transmission losses. This was developed as a solution to the great distance between the energy resources and load centers. While hydropower was majorly generated in the west, its demand was the highest in the east. Scaling up the same technology, China expects to be able to transmit power as far as Germany.

Will it be profitable?

With China eyeing a role as the world’s major power supplier, it is interesting to analyze if the devised temporary solution can actually profit the industry in the long-run. Surprisingly, it can!

Marketresearch says that, much like the situation of the neighbors Laos and China, the entire world is faced with a situation where domestic markets are not big enough for producing regions and mega-projects in various countries face a lack of energy supplies. This means that China’s global power grid investments will come with good returns. There will be a better allocation of the power surplus.

Is there another side to this story?

China is known for its sleek moves. This initiative may be more than economic; it may be strategic. The robust commercial expansion of China-based institutions into the energy and power sector may be a signal for China trying to attain a monopoly in a sector that forms an integral part of our everyday lives.

Over the past years, Chinese companies have been noticed to invest big money overseas in projects running with mammoth forces like America and Europe. China’s push for interconnectivity is thus being questioned for its true ambitions.

Amazon gears up for a battle against Walmart

After Walmart acquired a controlling stake of 77% from India’s online retailer Flipkart, it’s neck-to-neck competitor, Amazon, has made its next move. It is being speculated that the e-commerce giant is seeking a stake in the Indian conglomerate, Future Group making it evident that the company is looking forward to establishing a physical presence as strong as its virtual one. With Walmart having failed to succeed with any of its incepted 21 stores, analysts are dubious about its prospects in India.

Will Walmart’s Flipkart acquisition give it a competitive advantage or will Amazon’s latest decision sustain it ahead?

India as the new battleground

There has been a long-known rivalry for a position in the future of the retail market in the United States of America where Walmart is a venerable chain of discount stores and Amazon, the king of E-commerce.

Walmart has a really strong hold on the markets of the US. The American retail giant, however, chose to expand into India through the Bangalore-based company Flipkart who is also in a drag-out clash with Amazon for the Indian market. Walmart’s first initiatives to become a trusted brick-and-mortar retail chain in India failed. There continues to be a strict regulation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in this country. So, this newer strategy is seen as an exploitation of the growing online presence of today’s customers. Flipkart, as a firm, is registered in Singapore but currently has a sturdy ground in the Indian sectors of online fashion and electronics. An extensive analysis would thus elucidate the thought process behind Walmart’s Flipkart acquisition. These two companies have now teamed up against Amazon with a bigger money at disposal now.

Given this situation, would Amazon’s investment in the Future group give a boost to its firepower?

The potential impact of Amazon’s investment in Future Group

Renowned business analysts claimed from a detailed market research that Walmart’s 200 billion-dollar investment in Flipkart could be a futile effort from the perspective of this competition. This is because they believe that the latter will continue to remain the face of the business and will also further benefit from the advanced infrastructure that the former is capable of providing it with.

Amazon has stepped into physical retail to fend off Walmart’s entry to India. Its multichannel approach will surely benefit it in the competition although the investment in Future Retail’s e-commerce will not directly lead to a great monetary influx. Amazon will be capable of expanding its consumer base by entering the grocery segment through Future Group. Future group will in turn benefit from Amazon’s existing consumer base and sourcing operations.

Are there any short-term benefits?

The clash between the retail titans has no end in sight. The immediate benefits land in the homes of the consumer. Not only will the market have more choices than ever, many of these will also not become more accessible and affordable. At this point, there is no specific basis to claim which company will more likely edge the other one out, but it is a common opinion that most small players and start-ups will be wiped away.

The employability of drone technology in various sectors

Evolving with newer capabilities at every instant, the current day unmanned aerial vehicle technology can even give you an ultimate bird’s-eye view of the land. These completely ground controlled vehicles are commonly referred to as the drones. Their use has already become mainstream in a lot of fields but they are under constant development.

Some of the recent advancements in the global drone market include:

Serving the needs of remote areas

Drone-based delivery

The ability to surpass higher altitudes, damaged roads or even flooded areas with ease have made drones a good delivery system. This is particularly helpful in remote areas where people do not have an easy access to medical supplies. A California based start-up, Zipline, is an epitome of solutions in this case. They have been using drones to deliver on-demand for the past two years. They’re in the spotlight recently for having built the fastest delivery drone that can fly at a velocity of 121kmph. The other specs of this vehicle include its potential of traversing 160 km in a single round-trip and carrying up to 1.75 kg.

Amazon has also gained good attention in the technology market to have patented a science that can help drones recognize and respond to human instructions through voice and gestures. This means that, in the future, you might even be able to call-out to a drone or help it with instructions to reach its destination!

A conduit for internet

Free space optical communications technology is on the rise as a potentially superior alternative for cabled delivery of internet. Drones are expected to serve remote places on the globe with this technology. They would supposedly use laser to deliver broadbands and these signals will be received on the ground through set-up receivers. The success of this concept has been tried and tested positive by Facebook in Yuma, Arizona.

Drones as a clean energy technology?

That surely doesn’t appear like a distant future.

Although drones are currently not being employed directly in the production of clean energy, they have definitely been viewed as capable of maintenance of structures that do so. For instance, wind turbines used to generate electricity in colder areas often tend to accumulate snow on their blades altering their properties. This reduces the efficiency of the system greatly. In systems that are devoid of a de-icing arrangement, cleaning is an expensive and labor-intensive process. Drones for such maintenance are still in the R&D phase but are expected to be a cheaper and more efficient alternative.

This technology will be able to serve all industry operations that occur at taller points from the ground like the aforementioned. These processes also include storage, job site monitoring, etc. They have also been employed to check commercial jets for dents or scratches.

Drones for research

Drones have also proved important for the behavioral study of various living organisms. With the evolving threat of Zika, mosquitoes that spread them are being targeted for identification through drones. This will allow researchers to define and study their breeding spots so they can alert health officials about it.

Studying animals like whales that reside in regions like the oceans and seas has also been aided by drones. Their behavior is recorded and tracked by drones hovering over the water bodies and studied by researchers in distant labs around the globe. This will also reduce threats to animals in the course of studies and their natural behavior can be noted without hindrance.

Market research shows that although the innovation has driven ire from a good proportion of the population for the breach of privacy, the drone continues to float in the air. In fact, the market is burgeoning at a rate which is hastening the revolutionization of the world.

Technology Market Research Solutions

Safe IOT Practices

To keep up in pace with the growing world, businesses are expected to deploy modern technology-based solutions. While this may bring some benefits, their security is a huge responsibility. Any compromise on the safekeeping of a company’s data is sufficient to mark its downfall.

The IOT technology builds a circuitry to connect multiple devices that can exchange information over the internet on request. Potential uses of this science are many. But, the use of linked devices is luring to cybercriminals and hackers and thus requires great caution.

What security threats does IOT pose?

Although the technology market is constantly innovated, successful cyber-attacks have also increased. The major risks that require consideration with the use of this technology are:

1)     Insecure interfaces

•        Web interface
•        Network services
•        Cloud interface
•       Mobile interface

Data loss and corruption, both, stem from insecure interfaces. There might also be a complete device takeover. This may lead to denial of access and a compromise on the accountability of the entire data consolidation. All data stored could be modified or accessed. Compromised network services can result in a denial of service condition of devices and the user may no longer be able to access them. Moreover, it can also be employed to facilitate attacks on other devices.

The impact also extends to consumers whose personal data can be accessed if the hacker is able to gain control over your devices.

2)     Lack of authentication

Lack of authentication refers to weak or poorly protected credentials and an insecure mode of their recovery. Cybercriminals can employ these to gain easy access to all the data and steal or modify them.

3)     Insufficient transport encryption

A transmission of data from one device to another is the essence of IOT. There needs to be a secure path for this transport of information, failing in which the attacker may be able to view user data when in transit over a local network.

Mitigation of the threats

Global market research reports suggest that while IOT is set to transform lives, web developers and cyber security service providers should be equipped to mitigate the increasing threats accompanying the use of IOT.

During the initial setup of devices, default credentials should be reset. The new ones should not be weak and shouldn’t be exposed to internal or external traffic. Automatic lockout should be set-up for a specific number of failed login attempts and a two-factor authentication method can be used wherever possible.

Only necessary ports should be exposed and transit protocols must be encrypted using TLS or SSL or other standard techniques.

Only data that is crucial for the functioning of the device should be collected and this should be accessible to authorised users only. This means that there should be a strict distinction between administrative users and the regular ones. The data must also be protected and should have a retention limit.

Data-driven decisions to boost your business value

The advent of data science has made us capable of revolutionizing the businessservices market. The popular concept is, however, faced with very low understanding. The most misfortunate of interpretations is the one concerned with the suitability of data science for various businesses.

This may be because ‘Big data’, the phrase in buzz, is quite misleading. It does not require you to be an established firm generating huge amounts of data to be able to incorporate data science. Even smaller companies and start-ups generate enough information to get useful insights. The sector you work for is not a restriction either. Nevertheless, to attain the required boost in your business value, it is essential to know what kind of information can drive your decisions.  

The context of ‘Big Data’

What mankind usually talks about is the availability of technology for easy access to information. But what is undermined is the increasing rate at which the amount of information itself is growing.  In the present scenario, data is not regarded as useless post the achievement of the purpose for which it was collected. It, in fact, has great economic value even after that. The consolidation of all structured and unstructured information from the various processes of a business is what is referred to as Big data. This may be from

•         Market analysis using the available databases (of companies and the government)
•         Analysis of routine procedures in the business to automate them
•         Scouting for staff and clients
•         Customer feedback

The segment of your business it can help

To realize the importance of incorporating data analytics into your decision-making process, it is essential to look back at the developments in the market over the past few years. Artificial intelligence is increasingly gaining a better knowledge of the world and software industry has disrupted a number of traditional business models. But global market research reports also reflect a number of interesting and promising opportunities that modernization of the world has created.

It is, thus, a wise choice to spend on business analysts. They are a crucial aid to your business because the data they bring will serve not one but all your business segments.

·       Marketing research

With the right minds and tools, big data can be used to visualize trends and patterns in the industry.  A data-driven predictive analysis can help you make well-informed decisions. Data mining techniques for companies that hold a large amount of consumer data can also be utilized for consumer segmentation. Big data is also an integral part of risk managing strategies.

·       Setting business goals and formulating strategies

Once what big data means to you is strategically defined, you can leverage the information to map practical business goals. These may be in terms of growth of the company, an increased market share or an expansion of clientele.

·       Re-developing your product

Big data can also be translated to customer intelligence. Constant feedback and information about their activities can provide actionable insights. You can modify your product or service according to the contemporary needs.

·       Creating new revenue streams

Data monetization is a compelling new business opportunity. Selling non-personalized trend data to other companies functioning in your vertical might be able to generate a good amount of revenue for you.

If used efficiently, big data can prove to be of great value to any firm. It is important to exploit the available technologies to reap these benefits.

Social Stigma and Behavioral Disorders

Kids absorb like a parched desert during rain. Their minds are in the developmental phase and they constantly acquire general behavioral trends from their immediate surroundings. While most of them might not be able to assign specific logic to what they follow, they grow to understand the reality.

But do all children avail an equal chance at life? Adults frequently fail to understand children with behavioral disorders. At social events, they’re isolated or ignored as the naughty or weird ones. The contemporary situation is very indicative of the fact that the society is not educated about the symptoms of these ailments. These children fail to receive proper treatments.

Why this should be discussed more often

The social stigma towards people who face these disorders doesn’t allow them to get timely and sufficient treatment. This ignorance is felt at both the individual and family level. Lack of proper infrastructure for healthcare in rural areas further hinders the diagnosis and treatment process.

The stigma is also reflected at an institutional level in terms of education and employability. Only an increased awareness will pave way for health care reforms in this specific field.

Some common disorders that go ignored

Autism:

Autism spectrum of disorders is a syndrome that results from any of the plethora of developmental disorders of the immature brain. And there is strict differentiation between autism and the wide range of other psychiatric disorders.

Autism challenges the kid’s social skills. It affects the child’s verbal and non-verbal communication and is characterized by repetitive behavior. With these difficulties, the routine tasks that other people their age perform normally seem much more difficult. They hence acquire a certain level of anxiety. However, autism may not be reflected in the looks of a child and people very often misunderstand them.

Autism remains as a lifelong disability. But no two autistic minds see the world the same way. They thus need different levels of support too.

OCD

OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder is a neurobiological ailment.  It prevails in both children and adults. When a person is affected by OCD, involuntary intrusive thoughts cross his mind often to consume hours each day. To get over this, the affected individuals devise their own compulsions. This causes repetitive behavior. For instance, a fear of something may lead to repetitive and more frequent checks of doors/locks.

OCD is a chronic condition too and has no established treatment.

ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder of the brain characterized by inattention and impulsivity. These kids generally make hasty actions and have difficulty sustaining focus. It hinders their development greatly.

Some cases of ADHD are unrecognized. This is because these children are usually categorized as the notorious ones and the rather severe symptoms of ADHD get overlooked.

Can they be treated?

The Behavioral Disorders drug development pipeline aims at introducing medicines that can manage the symptoms of the ailments. These medications are however not expected to cure the disorder completely. They look to improve focus and reduce impulsivity.

Moreover, these disorders do not have physical symptoms. An early diagnosis thus becomes difficult. Sometimes, the person affected by these disorders might take up to substance abuse. That person becomes an easy suspect and shows symptoms like burnt fingertips, body tremors, and bloodshot eyes.

The enigma of a woman’s body

Understanding the female anatomy

The unfortunate truth is that most women do not understand their body. This keeps them puzzled about the discomforts caused. Only a better understanding will make a better diagnosis be possible. This will further pave way for a better treatment.

The reproductive system is the most complex of all organs functioning in a woman’s body. It has both internal and external parts. The external genitalia; the vulva, vagina, and cervix, are known to be more prone to infections. There is also an increase in the number of cancer cases reported for these organs.

Malignancies in these regions of the body are referred to as lower reproductive cancers. And for every part affected, symptoms differ. 

The lower reproductive cancers

Vulvar cancer

The vulva is not an isolated part. It comprises of the urethral opening, the vaginal opening, the clitoris, the labia and the Mons pubis. Cancer of the vulva is a very common gynecological malignancy and most cases are reported in women of the menopausal age. The risk of developing this disease increases as a woman gets older. But young women are no exception.

HPV or the Human Papilloma virus is the most investigated etiologic agent for vulvar malignancies. HPV-caused cancers of the vulva represent a local spread of the virus from genital warts to the cancerous region. Research also suggests a link between vulvar dystrophy and cancer. This is a medical condition where patchy areas of thickened skin are seen in and around the vulva. These regions of the skin are usually itchy or cause a burning sensation. But there exist minimal possibilities of this condition progressing to cancer. A plethora of other potential risks from the menstrual history and lifestyle factors have been identified. But none of these are known to have a great influence.

Demographics thus suggest two distinguished group of women who develop vulvar cancer.

•    Women above the age of 45-50 who aren’t positive for other infectious diseases

•    Younger women in whom an existing medical condition progresses to cancer or those who are immuno-suppressed

Vulvar cancer is indicated by a change in the color of the skin around the vagina. There may also be rashes in the same region that are sensitive to touch.

Vaginal cancer

The vagina is a connection between the vulva and the uterus. A vaginal cancer is the least common of all gynecologic cancers. A less extensive research about the disease can be attributed to this very fact.

The etiologies are nearly similar to those of a vulvar malignancy. But an important observation is that most women who developed this condition had a hysterectomy performed. The use of synthetic estrogens like DES during pregnancy has also been identified as a potential threat.

Untimely bleeding and abnormal vaginal discharge are the main symptoms of this condition.

Cervical cancer

Cervical cancer follows breast cancer in the number of cases. It can hence be categorized among the most common malignancies.

Tobacco is a major risk factor. Carcinogens from tobacco and an HPV infection (or other STIs) are known to act in synergy to cause this. Sexual behavior, although a risk factor, has not been identified as an independent influence. Research also suggests that the administration of hormonal pills can drive the rate at which cervical cancer progresses. Exacerbated levels of risk for all cancers are seen in immuno-suppressed individuals.

Cervical cancers often go unrecognized because of the lack of visible symptoms. In some cases, there might be abnormal vaginal discharge or bleeding post sexual intercourse.

Diagnosis and treatment

Regular health examinations aid the early diagnosis of these conditions. Symptoms may not necessarily develop at these stages. A pap smear is the sample used for diagnosis of cervical cancers. But no screening tests are available for the others. X-rays, ultrasounds or other imaging systems can check the growth of the tissue.

Reproductive cancers can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapies, and radiation too. Some physicians might even suggest varying combinations of these. But one needs to be informed that reproductive cancers are capable of causing infertility in women.  There has been extensive research going on to resolve this issue. The Lower Female Reproductive System Cancers Drug Development Pipeline is thus ever widening.

Can Medication Now Treat HIV-AIDS?

We usually see the immune system as an isolated system waiting undisturbed for an intruder organism to attack the body. But the reality is that a lot of these potential diseases are eliminated by our immunity and so you never see their symptoms. The immune system constantly produces new cells that patrol your body and monitor the presence of substances that can possibly cause harm to it. These substances are what evoke an immune response.  

All healthcare measures that we take are to maintain an efficient and constantly active immunity. We usually look up to our immune system to protect us from the attacks of pathogens or threats posed by other etiologies. But what happens when the immune system itself is taken over?

Viruses are microscopic creatures that are the tiniest but the most notorious disease causing agents. These organisms are not capable of multiplying on their own. When they cause an infection, they take over the human cell machinery for their spread. This bars the usual functioning of the cells. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), a retrovirus, infects key cells of the immune system known as the T-cells. It thus effectively shades itself from other components of the system. A pronounced depletion of immune cells weakens the system. The regular infections that aren’t lethal also burden the patient’s body greatly. The condition is hence referred to as an Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Clinical management of HIV-AIDS is faced with unprecedented challenges owing to the ability of the virus to evade immune responses. The HIV drug market thus received no boost until recently.

What is all the hype about?

The marketing clearance of Biktarvy, a drug for HIV-AIDS by the US FDA shook the world. It was introduced by Gilead Sciences Inc a bio-pharmaceutical company. Market research reports forecast sales of about one billion dollars for the establishment in the coming year. They also suggest a rise to five times this amount by 2024. 

The company got a much needed boost from this approval after a failed quarter. HCV medication, the company’s flagship product saw a great plummet in its sales. A lost competition with one drug was covered up by a win in another. The company that had forecasted a further slow-down in the sales now expects to grow at a faster pace. It has an upper hand in the HIV drug market because this medication is approved for people who have never taken anti-retroviral drugs and also for people who have been on a similar medication for only 3 months with no failure in treatment. Its contemporaries are approved only for people who’ve been taking similar drugs for at least 6 months and have no adverse effects. Even the subjects of clinical trials showed no treatment-emergent resistance.

How does Biktarvy work?

Biktarvy is also referred to as the ‘triple-drug’ for HIV. Until now, people were using multiple pills to keep the viral count low. But Biktarvy is based on a once-daily single tablet regimen. It is a combination of an integrase inhibitor, bictegravir, and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide. For the HIV to enter the T-cells of the immune system and take charge, integrase and reverse transcriptase are crucial enzymes. They allow it to replicate in the human host. The inhibitors prevent the integration of viral genetic material with the host genome. The infection hence remains under control.

The body’s response to the drug can be measured in terms of viral load or T-cell counts. A decrease in the former and a stability or increase of the latter is indicative of a positive result. Biktarvy works with no food intake regulations and no minimum required counts of the virus.

Is it safe?

Contraindications:

·         The use of Biktarvy during pregnancy has not been studied sufficiently

·         The drug cannot be used along with medications containing dofetilide or rifampin.

Adverse reactions:

Diarrhea, nausea, and headaches were commonly observed side effects during the clinical trials. However, there can be more severe reactions in the body post intake of Biktarvy. Medical conditions of buildup of lactate and abnormal functioning of enzymes and transporters in the body have been reported due to the administration of this drug. These can lead to fatal medical situations.

Worsening existing impairments:

People with renal or hepatic implairments have been advised against the usage of this drug. It is known to exacerbate these issues. Instead of treating AIDS, Biktarvy in very rare cases, also caused fatal autoimmune disorders.

The future of the drug:

Biktarvy, in its trial phases has shown to be highly efficient with minimum challenges and threats. It has also helped raise Gilead back in the field of bio-pharmaceuticals. The FDA approval has paved way for the long term sustainability of the company. It will continue to compete in the field of its core franchise.

Can Anorexia Be Caused By Cancer?

New cells are formed in the early stages of life to facilitate the growth of the body. Even when a person ceases to grow, the body is in dire need of new cells to replace the worn-out ones. All new cells formed result from the division of a pre-existing one. However, normal cells in the human body are programmed to multiply only a certain number of times and eventually face death. Cancer causes these cells to multiply uncontrollably. This unchecked cell-growth leads to the accumulation of a mass of cells called a tumor. 

The field of immunology has seen great advances. But, cancer research has been particularly challenging very since the inception of oncology as a science. Adding to the complexities, a number of cancer patients in the contemporary population show a weight-related response to the disease. From the aforementioned perception of cancer, it seems more likely that the disease would cause a gain of mass. So, cancer and anorexia should be opposite ends of the nutrition spectrum. But people with advanced stages of the disease are actually known to show symptoms of anorexia like fatigue and a lost appetite.

How is this caused?

This condition is referred to as the Cancer Anorexia Cachexia Syndrome (CACS). Cachexia is a medical term used to describe a collection of symptoms like muscle atrophy, loss of weight and weakness. CACS is a wasting disorder of the body resulting from malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, the thoracic region or the head and neck. It comes with poor prognosis which means that there are very less chances of the patient’s survival. There are almost no established treatments for this condition.

This syndrome can be caused due to a number of reasons

Changes caused by the tumor

Difficulties in swallowing caused by tumor formation can directly impinge gastrointestinal functions. A significant decline in food intake is also caused by tumor-derived substances like lactate. These disturb the normal metabolic cycles and are potent anorexic agents. Tumors alter nutrient distribution plans of the body and deprive other tissues of essential micronutrients like Zinc. Inflammation caused by these cancerous cells also induces the release of cytokines.

These effects lead to irregular secretions of hormones that help the body regulate appetite thus resulting in food restriction.

Central causes

The modulation of various nutrients in turn affects the transmission cascades of the central nervous system. This might lead to conditions like depression and chronic pain thus altering eating habits.

Effects of treatments like Chemotherapy can also contribute to causing CACS.

Symptoms and diagnosis of CACS

Not everybody who has this syndrome looks malnourished. This is because the person could have been overweight before CACS became a chronic illness for him. Hence, there are a few clinical assessments to determine if a person is actually a victim of this disorder.

·        The person has lost over 5% of his body weight unintentionally

·        BMI < 20 in a person less than 65 years old
BMI < 20 in a person 65 years or older

·        Body fat is less than 10%

·        An increased level of cytokines in the blood (resulting from inflammation)

·        Serum albumin level < 35 g/L

People with this syndrome might not respond equally well to treatments of cancer.  A high percentage of people with these advanced cancers are known to show bone metastasis i.e. relocation of cancerous cells to the bone. Their immunity can be lowered further and they hence experience a highly diminished quality of life.

Management of the disorder

The cancer supportive care landscape has been widening with robust drug development as summarized in the GBI Research report, “Cancer Supportive Care Drug Development Pipeline Review,2017”. There are a number of ways in which CACS can be managed:

·         Appetite stimulants

The positives of dietary counseling from trained experts haven’t been demonstrated. Appetite stimulants like corticosteroids or progestational agents have a greater impact. They have shown to increase the patient’s appetite in a few cases but do not have a long lasting effect. 

·         Enteral and parenteral nutrition

Administration of food directly through the gastrointestinal tract of through intravenous injections can be employed. However, this has been extensively studied and has only shown to have the required effect in rare cases. 

·         Muscle building

If the person still has the ability to exercise, he can take up to resistance training to build muscles.

All these efforts are rarely enough to reverse the effects of CACS. Since this syndrome is a secondary disorder resulting from cancer, treatment of that should be in focus. CACS has no established treatment regimens. It causes great emotional stress not only on the patients but also the family members and close acquaintances. Patients are usually forced to consume more calories in the hope that this will help them live longer. This isn’t always of much clinical benefit. Only compassion and care can help their struggle for survival in the final stages of their life.