TREATMENT OF CANCER CACHEXIA 

Chemotherapy. 2013 Feb 7;58(6):461-467. [Epub ahead of print]

Clinical Studies on the Treatment of Cancer Cachexia with Megestrol Acetate plus Thalidomide.

Wen HS, Li X, Cao YZ, Zhang CC, Yang F, Shi YM, Peng LM.

Source

Oncology Department, Ningbo Development Zone Center Hospital, Ningbo, PR China.

Abstract

Background: The management of cancer-related anorexia/cachexia syndrome (CACS) is a great challenge in clinical practice. To date, practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of CACS are lacking. The authors conducted a randomized study to confirm the effectiveness and safety of treatment of CACS utilizing megestrol acetate (MA) plus thalidomide. Methods: One hundred and two candidates with CACS were randomly assigned to two treatment groups (trial group and control group): the trial group received MA (160 mg po, bid) plus thalidomide (50 mg po, bid), while the control group received MA (160 mg po, bid) alone. Treatment duration was 8 weeks. Results: Analysis of the trial group demonstrated a significant increase from baseline in body weight (<0 .01="" 0.01="" 0.02="" a="" alone="" and="" appetite="" baseline="" be="" body="" both="" cacs.="" changes="" combination="" compared="" conclusion:="" contrast="" control="" cooperative="" decrease="" eastern="" effective="" endpoints="" factor-="" fatigue="" found="" from="" glasgow="" greater="" grip="" group:="" group="" groups.="" il-6="" improvement="" in="" included="" is="" life="" ma="" mean="" more="" necrosis="" negligible="" of="" oncology="" p="" performance="" primary="" prognostic="" quality="" regimen="" relatively="" score="" secondary="" significant="" significantly="" status="" strength="" thalidomide="" than="" the="" to="" toxicity="" treatment="" trial="" tumor="" was="" weight="" were="" with="">