Palliative treatment of cancer anorexia with oral suspension of megestrol acetate. 2003

M Tomíska, and M Tomisková, and F Salajka, and Z Adam, and J Vorlícek
Department of Internal Medicine-Hematooncology, Masaryk University Hospital, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic. mtomiska@fnbrno.cz

Megestrol acetate (MA) is a progestational agent, currently known as one of the most effective appetite stimulants in patients suffering from cancer anorexia/cachexia syndrome. Oral suspension of this drug may be particularly useful in patients with far advanced disease, where taking larger amount of pills may lead to the decrease of patient compliance. The influence of oral MA suspension on quality of life and nutritional status was evaluated in 22 patients with far advanced cancer suffering from anorexia and more than 5 per cent weight loss, all beyond the scope of anticancer treatment. Most patients had lung or gastrointestinal cancer. QLQ-C30 questionnaire, visual analogue scale (VAS) for appetite, anthropometry, maximal handgrip strength and laboratory data were obtained before treatment and then after 2, 4, and 8 weeks of therapy. Despite of a known high mortality in this prognostically unfavorable group of patients (36% within two months in this study), overall quality of life after the daily dose of 480-840 mg of MA was improved in 63, 56, and 55% of patients remaining on therapy after 2, 4, and 8 weeks, respectively. Appetite was the most successfully influenced parameter with an improvement in VAS in 95% of cases after 2 weeks of therapy (p=0.0001). The drug was well tolerated by the great majority of patients. Oral suspension of megestrol acetate maybean effective palliative treatment for many patients with far advanced cancer suffering from anorexia/cachexia syndrome.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009369 Neoplasms New abnormal growth of tissue. Malignant neoplasms show a greater degree of anaplasia and have the properties of invasion and metastasis, compared to benign neoplasms. Benign Neoplasm,Cancer,Malignant Neoplasm,Tumor,Tumors,Benign Neoplasms,Malignancy,Malignant Neoplasms,Neoplasia,Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Benign,Cancers,Malignancies,Neoplasias,Neoplasm, Benign,Neoplasm, Malignant,Neoplasms, Malignant
D009752 Nutritional Status State of the body in relation to the consumption and utilization of nutrients. Nutrition Status,Status, Nutrition,Status, Nutritional
D010166 Palliative Care Care alleviating symptoms without curing the underlying disease. (Stedman, 25th ed) Palliative Treatment,Palliative Supportive Care,Palliative Surgery,Palliative Therapy,Surgery, Palliative,Therapy, Palliative,Care, Palliative,Palliative Treatments,Supportive Care, Palliative,Treatment, Palliative,Treatments, Palliative
D011788 Quality of Life A generic concept reflecting concern with the modification and enhancement of life attributes, e.g., physical, political, moral, social environment as well as health and disease. HRQOL,Health-Related Quality Of Life,Life Quality,Health Related Quality Of Life
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D001835 Body Weight The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms. Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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