Abstract
Megestrol acetate (MA) is a progestagen agent that has been reported to cause increase appetite and weight gain in cancer patients (*). We describe the Cortisol rhythm in 27 patients (20 boys, 7 girls), mean age 12,2 years (range: 1-19 years) affected of solid malignant tumours. They have received MA during a mean period of time of 4,2 months, being the mean dose 100 mg/m2 (range 80-400 mg/m2). The increase in weight an skinfolds demonstrates, in a statiscally significative way (p < 0.001), the efficacy of this drug. We have also assessed the secondary effects of this agent, finding an statiscally significative decrease in serum Cortisol levels that correlates with the dose and return to normal values after disconlinuing the treatment. We have not observed any detectable effects, secondary to suprarrenal supression. We conclude that MA is a very useful drug to treat anorexia and weight loss in children with cancer. It is necessary to perform further studies to assess the corticosteroid-like action of this drug. The possibility of studying MA efficacy being administered on alternate days, to avoid the encountered Cortisol alterations, is suggested.
(*) CL Loprinzi, DJ Schaid, AM Dose, NL Burnham, MD Jensen., J Clin Oncol 11:152-154; 1993.
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Azcona, C., Jiménez, M., Garcia-Foncillas, J. et al. 12 WEGESTROL ACETATE AND CORTISOL RHYTHM IN CHILDREN WITH DANCER. Pediatr Res 36, 4 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199407000-00012
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199407000-00012