Other
Supportive treatment of cancer
Franjo Šuperina
; Department of Pain Management and Terminal Care, University Hospital for Tumors, Zagreb, Croatia
Dubravka Krleža-Supić
; Department of Pain Management and Terminal Care, University Hospital for Tumors, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Malnutrition is a common problem among cancer patients. Cachexia causes death in >20% of patients with malignancy. Cachexia is most pronounced in patients with carcinoma of the stomach and pancreas.
The aim of the study was to see whether appetite can be increased and weight loss decelerated using the pharmacological approach to appetite stimulation.
The study is retrospective and relates to 20 patients with cancer of different localization treated over a two-month period. The patients received individual dietary recommendations, nutrition support and megestrol acetate 400mg/day. All patients were assessed by using the PG – SGA score (Patient Generated Subjective Global Assessment) and ECOG status. Throughout the two-month period, appetite changes using a visual analogue scale and body wieght changes were measured every two weeks.
With nutritional advice and pharmacological support, the appetite significantly increased to reach the appetite score – good (p<0.01) in 75% of the patients, resulting in body weight increase of 3.6 kg on the average.
Keywords
anorexia; cachexia; megestrol acetate
Hrčak ID:
281546
URI
Publication date:
30.11.2005.
Visits: 845 *