THE ROLE OF MEGESTROL-ACETATE IN NEOPLASTIC ANOREXIA AND CACHEXIA

Anorexia and cachexia, major problems in patients with advanced cancer , lead to decreased caloric intake and weight loss. Successful treatme nt of these conditions has a positive effect on patients' quality of l ife. Megestrol acetate therapy has been shown to stimulate appetite an d nonfluid weight gain in patients with cancer, We explored the effect of oral megestrol acetate, 160 mg twice daily (total daily dose 320 m g) for 3 weeks in 24 patients with advanced bladder or colorectal carc inoma. After treatment, 15 patients (63%) significantly increased thei r food intake (P < 0.05); 20 patients (83%) gained weight (P < 0.05), and 16 patients (67%) showed improvement in performance status. No pat ient reported negative effects of therapy such as nausea, emesis, edem a, hypertension, or thromboembolic events, No signs of hepatic, renal, metabolic, or cardiac toxicity were seen, Although the mechanism by w hich megestrol acetate produces weight gain and subsequently improves the quality of life of cancer patients is not fully understood, our da ta show that it is safe, well tolerated, and, above al, capable of con taining anorexia and cachexia in patients with advanced cancer,