Megestrol acetate for the palliation of advanced ovarian carcinoma

High doses of the oral progestin megestrol acetate were used to treat patients with ovarian cancer who had suffered relapses following conventional therapy. In all but 2 of these patients, second-line drugs or other additional therapeutic measures had been tried before resorting to the high-dose oral progestin. The response of 24 patients is the subject of this report. Megestrol acetate proved to be useful for those who were able to take oral medication and who failed to respond to other forms of therapy.