Despite the implication of a number of humoral factors found in the cancer milieu that stimulate muscle catabolism including pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα, IL-6 and IL-1β, as well as agonists of type IIB activin receptor (ActRIIB) activins2, to name a few, key cancer-generated cachexins that trigger muscle catabolism remain elusive. Here, TNF is linked to cancer.