Abstract
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 high-light 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.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 1173-1177 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Cancer |
Volume | 110 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 15 2007 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Adrenal insufficiency
- Cancer cachexia
- Hypogonadism
- Megestrol acetate
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Cancer Research