- 期刊
The Effect of Megestrol Acetate Oral Suspension on Appetite and Quality of Life in late-stage Cancer Patients
口服Megestrol acetate溶液對於晚期癌症病人之食慾和生活品質的效果
摘要
食慾不振在晚期癌症病人是相當常見的症狀，經常造成病人整體狀況的惡化和家屬的焦慮。口服megestrol acetate溶液是我們經常使用的藥物，臨床觀察上也有相當的效果，所以本研究收集了19位食慾缺乏(anorexia score: grade 2-4)的晚期癌症病人，給予3毫升megestrol acetate溶液一天四次，持續兩個星期，期間以主觀的食慾視覺量表visual analogue scale(VAS)、生活品質問卷(EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire QLQ-C30, version 3.0)以及客觀的食慾缺乏分級表評估其主客觀食慾變化。研究結果顯示，15位病人(83.3%)獲得食慾缺乏分級至少一級以上的改善，其餘病人沒有改善但也沒有惡化。主觀的食慾視覺量表以及生活品質問卷皆出現有統計學上意義的改善。因此本研究顯示：口服megestrol acetate溶液3毫升一天四次對於改善晚期癌症病人的食慾和生活品質是有效的。
並列摘要
Background: Appetite loss is a severe and common symptom among late-stage cancer patients, and it causes great the anxiety for the patient's family. We have clinically observed megestrol acetate oral suspension to be effective in Cancer and AIDS-related cachexia; in this study we investigated the clinical benefit in late-stage cancer patients. Methods: This is an open-label, non-comparative and perspective clinical study to evaluate clinical efficacy, in terms of appetite improvement and other quality of life issues. Of the 19 patients enrolled who experienced weight loss of more than 5% of their usual body weight, 18 were available for this study. Megestrol Acetate 12 cc/day (3 cc qid) was provided to patients for a minimum of 14 days and assessment of therapeutic index every 2 days. Results: In 18 available patients receiving 480 mg of megestrol acetate per day, 83.3% improved the anorexia score and almost all patients reported appetite stimulation. Using a linear transformation to standardize the raw score in quality of life analysis, symptoms of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, dyspnoea, and constipation were significantly improved (p value ＜0.05). Conclusion: In late-stage cancer patients, 480 mg megestrol acetate per day effectively improves appetite and quality of life. Furthermore, from a financial aspect, it's especially cost-effective and suited to the current medical circumstances in Taiwan and the rest of the world.