Eleven steroid hormones (SHs: androstene-3,17-dione, estrone, β-estradiol, α-estradiol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, 17á-hydroxyprogesterone, medroxyprogesterone, megestrol acetate, progesterone, and androsterone) were detected from New Zealand deer (Cervus elaphus var. scoticus) velvet antler (NZA, 鹿茸). A method for the quantification of eleven SHs was established by using ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-MS/MS. The linearities (R² > 0.991), limits of quantification (LOQ values, 0.3 ng/mL to 23.1 ng/mL), intraday and interday precisions (relative standard deviation: RSD < 2.43%), and recovery rates (97.3% to 104.6%) for all eleven SHs were determined. In addition, a method for the quantification of three 7-oxycholesterols (7-O-CSs: 7-ketocholesterol, 7α-hydroxycholesterol, and 7β-hydroxycholesterol) in the NZA was established by using an HPLC-photodiode array (PDA) method. The linearities (R² > 0.999), LOQ values (30 ng/mL to 350 ng/mL), intraday and interday precisions (RSD < 1.93%), and recovery rates (97.2% to 103.5%) for the three 7-O-CSs were determined. These quantitative methods are accurate, precise, and reproducible. As a result, it is suggested that the five steroid compounds of androstene-3,17-dione, androsterone, 7-ketocholesterol, 7α-hydroxycholesterol, and 7β-hydroxycholesterol could be marker steroids of NZA. These methods can be applied to quantify or standardize the marker steroids present in NZA.
Androsterone ; Animals ; Antlers ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Deer ; Dehydroepiandrosterone ; Estrone ; Medroxyprogesterone ; Megestrol Acetate ; Methods ; New Zealand ; Progesterone ; Steroids ; Testosterone

OBJECTIVE: To report our 15-year institutional experience of fertility-sparing treatment in young patients with early endometrial cancer (EC) treated by combined hysteroscopic resection and progestin therapy. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients (stage IA, G1 and 2 endometrioid EC) wishing to preserve their fertility were enrolled into this prospective study. Hysteroscopic resection was used to resect the tumor, endometrium adjacent to the tumor and myometrium underlying the tumor. Adjuvant hormonal therapy consisted of oral megestrol acetate or levonorgestrel intrauterine device for 6 months or more. RESULTS: After 3 months from the progestin start date, 25 patients (89.3%) showed a complete regression (median time to complete regression, 3 months [range, 3-9 months]), two (7.1%) showed persistent disease, while one patient (3.6%) presented with progressive disease and underwent definitive surgery (stage IA, G3 endometrioid). At 6 months, one of the two patients with persistent disease underwent definitive surgery (stage IA, G1 endometrioid), while the other one was successfully re-treated. Two recurrences were observed (7.7%) both involving the endometrium and synchronous ovarian cancer. The median duration of complete response was 94.5 months (range, 8-175 months). More than half of the responders (57.7%) attempted to conceive with 93.3% and 86.6% pregnancy and live birth rates, respectively. CONCLUSION: The addition of a standardized three-step resectoscopy to progestin would seem to improve the efficacy of progestin alone. High pregnancy and live birth rates were observed in women attempting to conceive.
Animals ; Endometrial Neoplasms* ; Endometrium ; Female ; Fertility Preservation ; Fertility* ; Humans ; Hysteroscopy ; Intrauterine Devices ; Levonorgestrel ; Live Birth ; Megestrol Acetate ; Mice ; Myometrium ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies ; Recurrence

Anorexia is one of the most common issues in older patients. Although there is a tendency for loss of appetite in older persons due to decreased physical activity and reduced resting metabolic rate, this physiological anorexia of aging can easily develop into progressive anorexia and weight loss. This pathologic anorexia and resultant weight loss is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, especially in the frail elderly. To prevent older persons from entering a vicious cycle of frailty, that is, anorexia-malnutrition-sarcopenia-functional impairment, routine screening for anorexia and malnutrition should be implemented in geriatric clinical practice. All anorexic elderly patients should be strongly encouraged to maintain their nutrition, and appetite stimulants can be considered if non-pharmacological interventions are not effective. Although there are no US or Korea Food and Drug Administration approved medications for geriatric-specific anorexia and weight loss, several appetite stimulants can be prescribed and are used widely. Megestrol acetate is the most widely studied and commonly used of these drugs. Cyproheptadine, dronabinol, mirtazapine, corticosteroids, anabolic steroids (e.g., testosterone or oxandrolone), and growth hormone are also effective in increasing appetite or weight. However, the use of these orexigenic agents should occur only after their benefit-to-risk ratio has been carefully considered.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Aged ; Aging ; Anorexia ; Appetite Stimulants* ; Appetite* ; Cyproheptadine ; Diethylpropion ; Dronabinol ; Frail Elderly ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Korea ; Malnutrition ; Mass Screening ; Megestrol Acetate ; Mortality ; Motor Activity ; Steroids ; Testosterone ; United States Food and Drug Administration ; Weight Loss

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of metformin plus megestrol acetate (MA) with that of MA alone for treating endometrial atypical hyperplasia (EAH). METHODS: This pilot study included 16 EAH patients who met at least one metabolic syndrome (MS) criterion and received either adjunctive metformin plus MA (MET group) or MA monotherapy (MA group). Each patient in the MA group received 160 mg of MA daily, whereas patients in the MET group received the same dose of MA plus 0.5 g of metformin thrice daily. Treatment response was assessed by histological examination of dilation and curettage specimens obtained after 12 weeks of therapy. RESULTS: Each group had eight patients, and half of the patients in each group were diagnosed with MS. The complete response (CR) rate was 75% (6/8) in the MET group and 25% (2/8) in the MA group (p=0.105). Complications of MS did not affect the response rates in either group. In the MET group, 75% (3/4) of the patients had CR in the presence or absence of MS. In the MA group, 50% (2/4) of the patients with MS had CR, whereas no patient without MS had CR. No irreversible toxicities were observed. CONCLUSION: Metformin plus MA may be a potential alternative therapy for treating EAH, and the MS status of patients may have no effect on the efficacy of metformin plus MA therapy.
Adult ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/*therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Endometrial Hyperplasia/complications/*drug therapy/metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents/*therapeutic use ; Megestrol Acetate/*therapeutic use ; Metabolic Syndrome X/complications/metabolism ; Metformin/*therapeutic use ; Pilot Projects ; Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism ; Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism ; Single-Blind Method ; Treatment Outcome

No abstract available.
Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/*therapeutic use ; Endometrial Hyperplasia/*drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents/*therapeutic use ; Megestrol Acetate/*therapeutic use ; Metformin/*therapeutic use

There are concerns whether megestrol acetate (MA) stimulates the growth of prostate cancer in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We evaluated the effect of cumulative doses of MA on the disease-specific survival (DSS) in patients with CRPC who were receiving Docetaxel-based chemotherapy. From July 2003 through June 2009, we identified 109 consecutive patients with CRPC and who had received docetaxel-based chemotherapy. Of these patients, 68 (62.4%) have not received MA, whereas 21 patients (19.3%) and 20 patients (18.3%) had received low dose MA (total < or = 18,400 mg) and high dose MA (total > 18,400 mg), respectively. We assessed the effect of several variables on DSS. None of the clinicopathological variables differed among the three groups. When comparing DSS using Kaplan-Meier analysis, there was no statistically significant survival differences among the three groups (P = 0.546). Using multivariate Cox proportional analyses with backward elimination, the number of docetaxel cycles was only significant factor predicting DSS (HR: 0.578, 95% CI: 0.318-0.923, P = 0.016). Cumulative doses of MA as adjuvant treatment for patients with CRPC and who are receiving docetaxel-based chemotherapy, did not affect their DSS. Therefore, MA can be safely administered in cachexic patients with CRPC.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anorexia/complications/*drug therapy ; Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal/*therapeutic use ; Cachexia/complications/*drug therapy ; Castration ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Megestrol Acetate/*therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prostatic Neoplasms/complications/*drug therapy/mortality ; Taxoids/therapeutic use

PURPOSE: The study was aimed to review and understand the meaning of cancer cachexia. METHODS: Using the keywords "cachexia" and "cancer cachexia" 30 oncology research published from 1974 to 2009 were selected for the review. RESULTS: The mechanism of cancer cachexia has not been fully understood, but various pathogenesis appears to be involved in the development cachexia including altered metabolism of carbohydrate, lipid, and protein associated with cytokines and hormone. As a result, muscle strength, food intake and resting energy expenditure (REE) are reduced. Most medications for the treatment of cachexia show debating results except some drugs such as megace. Supportive care including nutritional education, nursing care, and social support are found another effective treatment options. CONCLUSION: The results of this study would help oncology nurses to understand the mechanism of cancer cachexia and its management.
Cachexia ; Cytokines ; Eating ; Education, Nursing ; Energy Metabolism ; Megestrol Acetate ; Muscle Strength

Loss of appetite is an important factor in the quality of life for advanced cancer patients. Megestrol acetate is used to stimulate appetite, but it can cause suppression of the pituitary adrenal axis due to the affinity of the glucocorticoid receptor. Adrenal insufficiency is a life threatening disorder if left, untreated, but the initial clinical symptoms of the patients are vague. Awareness of the glucocorticoid-like activity of megestrol acetate and its side effects are important for the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency. We present a case of secondary adrenal insufficiency associated with megestrol acetate in a patient with lung cancer.
Adrenal Insufficiency ; Appetite ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Humans ; Lung ; Lung Neoplasms ; Megestrol ; Megestrol Acetate ; Quality of Life ; Receptors, Glucocorticoid

PURPOSE: Maintenance hemodialysis (HD) patients have a high prevalence of malnutrition and inflammation. Megestrol acetate (MA) has been shown to increase appetite in cancer patients but the usual dose of MA (400-800 mg/day) was associated with serious side effects in HD patients. We evaluated the changes in nutritional and inflammatory parameters after low dose of MA treatment in malnourished HD patients METHODS: Inclusion criteria were maintenance HD patients who showed serum albumin <3.5 g/dL or <4.0 g/dL with anorexia. Serum chemical parameters, cytokines, Subjective Global Assessment, dry weight, Kt/V, nPCR, SF36 quality of life, fat free mass (FFM), and body fat mass (BFM) were measured. Patients were instructed to take 5 mL (200 mg) of MA solution once a day. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (seven male, age 52+/-10 years, mean HD duration 48+/-59 months) were included. One patient died of pneumonia. Seven patients dropped out because they refused to take the drug after one to three months of treatment; two of them complained of thirst, three of them ate too much, and two had both. Six patients (four male and two female) have completed six months of study. Serum albumin (3.1+/-0.5 to 3.6+/-0.4 g/dL), TIBC (184.2+/-27.9 to 205.0+/-25.8 microgram/ dL), BFM (11.9+/-5.7 to 16.6+/-7.4 kg), protein intake (57.0+/-32.5 to 68.7+/-39.2 g/day), and energy intake (1,521+/-690 to 1,724+/-879) were increased. Serum CRP and IL-6 decreased without statistical significance. No significant adverse effects were observed in all patients who had completed study. CONCLUSION: Low dose MA can improve the nutritional status, inflammation, and anorexia in maintenance HD patients.
Adipose Tissue ; Anorexia ; Appetite ; Cytokines ; Energy Intake ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Male ; Malnutrition ; Megestrol ; Megestrol Acetate ; Nutritional Status ; Pneumonia ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Renal Dialysis ; Serum Albumin ; Thirst

Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) that arises from extrauterine endometriosis is a rare form of malignancy. We report the case of a 37-year-old ESS patient with extrauterine endometriosis who was treated with ifosfamide/cisplatin chemotherapy. A woman presented with epigastric pain and abdominal distension. Computed tomography imaging revealed a profuse amount of ascites, including a 12.4x12.3 cm sized posterior cul-de-sac mass composed of solid and cystic components. Cytoreductive surgery was performed to remove the mass and the histopathologic findings indicated ESS associated with extrauterine endometriosis. Six cycles of combination chemotherapy [ifosfamide (5 g/m(2)) with mesna (1 g/m(2)) and cisplatin (50 mg/m(2)) (IP)] were administered. After a six-month of disease-free interval, recurrent ESS developed in the pelvic cavity and in both lung fields. Megace medication decreased tumor marker CA-125 for six weeks. However, the patient expired sixteen months after the cytoreductive surgery. ESS associated with extrauterine endometriosis showed response to IP chemotherapy and megace.
Adult ; Ascites ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Humans ; Lung ; Megestrol Acetate ; Mesna ; Sarcoma, Endometrial Stromal