Biomaterial Database

Potential applications of high-dose megestrol acetate in breast cancer. 1992

J S Abrams, and J Gutheil, and J Aisner

Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Cancer Center, Baltimore 21201.

Empiric clinical trials have revealed new mechanisms by which hormonal therapies may exert their antitumor effects. Initial studies using escalated doses of agents like toremifene and megestrol acetate have yielded interesting results, showing responses in hormone-receptor-negative patients and in patients progressing after standard doses, respectively. A trial by Cancer and Leukemia Group B randomizing patients with advanced breast cancer to standard-dose (160 mg) megestrol acetate or to 5 or 10 times the standard dose (800 and 1,600 mg) has completed accrual. It is hoped that these results will provide a definitive answer to the dose-response issue for breast cancer. However, regardless of this trial's ultimate outcome, higher doses of megestrol acetate have demonstrated important new effects on appetite stimulation and weight gain; ongoing laboratory research promises potential roles for megestrol acetate in the reversal of chemotherapeutic drug-induced tumor resistance.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008535	Megestrol	A progestational hormone used most commonly as the acetate ester. As the acetate, it is more potent than progesterone both as a progestagen and as an ovulation inhibitor. It has also been used in the palliative treatment of breast cancer.	17-Hydroxy-6-methylpregna-3,6-diene-3,20-dione,Pregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione, 17-hydroxy-6-methyl-
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D001943	Breast Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the human BREAST.	Breast Cancer,Breast Tumors,Cancer of Breast,Breast Carcinoma,Cancer of the Breast,Human Mammary Carcinoma,Malignant Neoplasm of Breast,Malignant Tumor of Breast,Mammary Cancer,Mammary Carcinoma, Human,Mammary Neoplasm, Human,Mammary Neoplasms, Human,Neoplasms, Breast,Tumors, Breast,Breast Carcinomas,Breast Malignant Neoplasm,Breast Malignant Neoplasms,Breast Malignant Tumor,Breast Malignant Tumors,Breast Neoplasm,Breast Tumor,Cancer, Breast,Cancer, Mammary,Cancers, Mammary,Carcinoma, Breast,Carcinoma, Human Mammary,Carcinomas, Breast,Carcinomas, Human Mammary,Human Mammary Carcinomas,Human Mammary Neoplasm,Human Mammary Neoplasms,Mammary Cancers,Mammary Carcinomas, Human,Neoplasm, Breast,Neoplasm, Human Mammary,Neoplasms, Human Mammary,Tumor, Breast
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D019290	Megestrol Acetate	Megestrol acetate is a progestogen with actions and uses similar to those of the progestogens in general. It also has anti-androgenic properties. It is given by mouth in the palliative treatment or as an adjunct to other therapy in endometrial carcinoma and in breast cancer. Megestrol acetate has been approved to treat anorexia and cachexia. (From Reynolds JEF(Ed): Martindale: The Extra Pharmacopoeia (electronic version). Micromedex, Inc, Englewood, CO, 1995)	Apo-Megestrol,Borea,Lin-Megestrol,Maygace,Megace,Megefren,Megestat,Megostat,Mestrel,Nu-Megestrol,Acetate, Megestrol,Apo Megestrol,ApoMegestrol,Lin Megestrol,LinMegestrol,Nu Megestrol,NuMegestrol