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Association between megestrol acetate treatment and symptomatic adrenal insufficiency with hypogonadism in male patients with cancer
Author(s) -
Dev Rony,
Del Fabbro Egidio,
Bruera Eduardo
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.22924
Subject(s) - medicine , megestrol acetate , adrenal insufficiency , cancer , megestrol , endocrinology , complication , cachexia , disease , oncology
Patients with advanced cancer may develop cachexia, which is often treated with megestrol acetate (MA). In addition to thromboembolic disease, MA may cause symptomatic suppression of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. In male patients with cancer, treatment with MA may also suppress the gonadal axis, resulting in symptomatic androgen deficiency. Three cases are presented to highlight the symptomatic burden of adrenal insufficiency and hypogonadism. Clinicians need an increased awareness of the complication of adrenal insufficiency secondary to MA treatment and a low threshold to test for adrenal and gonadal dysfunction in symptomatic male patients with advanced cancer. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.