LOW-DOSE MEGESTROL-ACETATE CAN ABROGATE CACHEXIA IN ADVANCED TUMOR PATIENTS RECEIVING SYSTEMIC INTERFERON-ALPHA AND OR INTERLEUKIN-2 BASED ANTINEOPLASTIC THERAPY

The progression of advanced malignancies is often associated with anorexia and cachexia, especially when patients receive concomitant systemic antitumor treatment. Megestrol acetate has been reported to increase appetite and body weight, and a linear dose-response relation for doses from 160 up to 1600 mg/day has been proposed. in our study, we were able to show that megestrol acetate at doses as low as 60 mg/day was sufficient to abrogate anorexia and weight loss. in contrast to previous studies, this effect was achieved while patients continued systemic antineoplastic therapy.