Megestrol acetate in cachectic patients with advanced bronchogenic cancer

Megestrol acetate, a semisynthetic gestagen, is effective not only for endocrine therapy of advanced breast carcinoma, but also in treatment of cachectic patients with aggressive, hormone-independent tumors. 40 patients with therapy-resistant, advanced bronchogenic carcinoma of different histologic type, who had lost more than ten percent of their regular body weight within a prospective, non-randomized trial were treated with megestrol acetate at a dose of either 160 mg/day or 480 mg/day for 3-4 months. The average weight gain of all patients was 3.0 kg. Nearly all of them (80%) reported improved appetite and well-being. The weight gain in the group of patients receiving 160 mg/day was higher (80%) than in the group receiving 480 mg/day (50%), suggesting that the lower dose is as effective as the higher one for palliative treatment.