The research involved megestrol acetate (marketed as Megace), a synthetic form of the female hormone progesterone. The drug was originally used as an anti-hormonal treatment for breast cancer and was found to induce weight gain as a side effect.
Weight loss can be a problem in patients undergoing radiation treatment for lung cancer and cancers of the head and neck, such as cancer in the mouth or throat. The high doses of radiation used to treat these cancers can cause decreased appetite and weight loss, nausea and painful swallowing. These patients typically receive radiation alone or a combination of radiation and chemotherapy, which can worsen the side effects of treatment, particularly nausea.
Researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center who carried out the study see weight loss is a significant predictor of how well patients fare. Those who can eat adequate amounts and prevent weight loss often have a better chance of survival.
The study involved 38 patients with lung cancer or cancer of the head and neck, 20 of whom received megestrol acetate daily during eight weeks of radiation treatment and for 12 weeks afterwards. The remaining 18 patients received an inactive placebo during the same time period. The mean weight for patients receiving megestrol acetate did not change significantly. However, the group receiving placebo had a mean weight loss of 11 pounds after 20 weeks.
“The drug clearly reduced weight loss and improved quality of life in study patients,” said Dr Michael Farmer, one of the study investigators. However, Dr Farmer also said: “While we know that weight loss is associated with a poorer outcome, we don’t know for certain that preventing weight loss will improve survival.”