Treatment of cancer anorexia with megestrol acetate: impact on quality of life.

The quality of life of patients with advanced cancer depends to a large degree on the presence of disease or treatment-related symptoms. Anorexia is frequent in cancer patients, but has received less attention than other symptoms such as pain or nausea. Yet, anorexia is important because it reduces caloric intake and leads to malnutrition. Further, lack of appetite can disrupt basic activities of daily living, such as eating, and may also interfere with family and social interactions. To test the efficacy of drugs that reverse anorexia, we need accurate and reliable parameters to quantitate this symptom. The effects of anorexia and its reversal on the patients' clinical progress, food intake, nutritional status, and quality of life need to be evaluated. Our ongoing studies demonstrate that megestrol acetate can reverse cancer anorexia and that appetite changes strongly correlate with changes in weight, food intake, and quality of life scores.