[Influence of dexamethasone on appetite and body weight in lung cancer patients]

Anorexia and cachexia are the most common symptoms in cancer patients. They increase morbidity and mortality among cancer patients as well as complications of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The most common drugs for treatment of cancer cachexia are corticosteroids and megestrol acetate.

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of dexamethasone on appetite loss and weight loss in lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Group A (30 patients) was treated with cisplatin, etoposide and standard supportive therapy, while group B (30 patients) received, in addition to this treatment, dexamethasone in the dose of 8 mg intravenously per day (1-3 day of chemotherapy).

There was a statistically significant difference in appetite loss between two groups after the second chemotherapy cycle favouring group A. The analysis of weight loss showed a statistically significant difference between two groups after both chemotherapy cycles, once again in favour of group A. Concerning the impovement of appetite and weight gain, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups after both chemotherapy cycles.

Many double-blind randomized controlled studies showed beneficial symptomatic effect of corticosteroids in cancer cachexia, especially on the improvement of appetite, food intake and performance status. In most of the studies the weight gain was not recorded The most effective type of corticosteroids, dose and route of administration have not been established.

Dexamethasone significantly decreases appetite loss and weight loss in lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy, while it has no influence on appetite impovement and weight gain.