Articles: cachexia-drug-therapy.
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Am. J. Clin. Oncol. · Aug 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialAnticachectic efficacy of megestrol acetate at different doses and versus placebo in patients with neoplastic cachexia.
Anorexia and cachexia are present in the majority of patients with advanced-stage cancer. Several agents have been tested for their ability to reverse weight loss in these patients. Megestrol acetate has been demonstrated to improve appetite and weight, independent of tumor response, when used in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. ⋯ There were no thromboembolic events. This trial supports the efficacy of megestrol acetate at 480 mg/day in the treatment of cancer-related cachexia and anorexia, with mild toxicity. However, performance status and quality of life were not influenced by this treatment.
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Anticancer research · Jan 1997
ReviewThe effect of megestrol acetate on anorexia, weight loss and cachexia in cancer and AIDS patients (review).
Weight gain is a well-known side-effect of megestrol acetate (MA) treatment. This effect has been studied systematically in cancer and AIDS patients with involuntary weight loss, anorexia or manifest cachexia, situations in which weight gain is desirable. Significant, positive effects on weight gain and on certain quality of life aspects, such as appetite, nausea, body image and mood have been reported for cancer patients treated with 160 mg to 1.600 mg daily and similar effects have been registered in AIDS patients if doses of about 400-800 mg are used. ⋯ The weight gain is, unfortunately, mainly due to an increase in fat mass and partly due to edema and, therefore, no significant effects are reported as regards the Karnovsky index. If anorexia, nausea and a negative body image are major concerns and if the patient has a life expectancy of more than 3 months, MA is a reasonable treatment option. However, if the central problem is fatigue and a low Karnovsky index, especially in a patient with a short expected survival, MA, which is not inexpensive, is not likely to be of significant help.
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British journal of cancer · Jun 1996
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialProspective randomised trial of two dose levels of megestrol acetate in the management of anorexia-cachexia syndrome in patients with metastatic cancer.
Two doses of megestrol acetate (MA) have been prospectively compared in a random fashion as treatment for cancer-related anorexia-cachexia syndrome (ACS) in 122 patients with progressive soft tissue sarcoma, colorectal, lung, head and neck and renal cancer resistant to systemic chemotherapy. After 30 days of MA, 55% of patients receiving MA at 160 mg day-1 reported an increase in appetite, 27% of patients no variation and 18% complained of a decrease in appetite. Patients treated with MA at 320 mg day-1 reported an increase in appetite in 68% of cases, a stabilisation in 20% of cases and a decrease in 12%. ⋯ In conclusion, the data achieved in the present study confirm the clinical safety and effectiveness of oral MA in the management of ACS in patients with advanced cancer resistant to systemic chemotherapy. Moreover, data concerning the dose escalation of MA dosage in unresponsive patients suggest that a step by step increase in MA dosage could be the best way of administering MA for the management of ACS and that the increase of MA dosage over 480 mg day-1 will probably be useless in the vast majority of cases. Data on body weight suggest that after 2 weeks' therapy MA could be stopped or its dosage tailored to patients' needs since the majority of patients respond after only 15 days of MA.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Pentoxifylline for treatment of cancer anorexia and cachexia? A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Based on evidence that suggests pentoxifylline can inhibit tumor necrosis factor, we set out to evaluate the activity and toxicity of this drug in patients with cancer-associated anorexia and/or cachexia. ⋯ This study failed to demonstrate any benefit of pentoxifylline at this dose and schedule as therapy for cancer anorexia and/or cachexia.