Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Phase III evaluation of four doses of megestrol acetate as therapy for patients with cancer anorexia and/or cachexia.
Several placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that megestrol acetate can result in appetite stimulation and nonfluid weight gain in patients with cancer anorexia/cachexia. The present trial was designed to compare megestrol acetate doses ranging from 160 to 1,280 mg/d. ⋯ The positive dose-response effect that we observed for megestrol acetate on appetite stimulation supports both our prestudy hypothesis and other available literature. Nonetheless, based primarily on the cost and inconvenience associated with the use of higher doses of this drug, it is reasonable to use 160 mg/d for the initial treatment of cancer anorexia/cachexia in routine clinical practice.