ReviewJournal of clinical medicine2022
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Clinical Use of Megestrol Acetate for Cancer-Related Anorexia/Cachexia.
Review in Journal of clinical medicine, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapy for cancer cachexia: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.Cancer medicine · 2024Pooled it
- Dose-dependent effect of megestrol acetate supplementation in cancer patients with anorexia-cachexia syndrome: A meta-analysis.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2024Pooled it
- Practical prescribing in cancer cachexia.Current opinion in supportive and palliative care · 2026Review
- Li-ginseng powder alleviates cancer cachexia in mice by regulating the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway and reducing inflammation.Journal of ginseng research · 2026Article
- Combined Bisoprolol and Megestrol Acetate Improves Survival and Preserves Cardiac Performance in a Rat Model of Cancer Cachexia.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2026Article
- Risk of Malnutrition in Digestive System Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Cancers · 2025Review
- Nutritional Challenges in Older Cancer Patients: A Narrative Review of Assessment Tools and Management Strategies.Nutrients · 2025Review
- The Multifaceted Role of Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF15): A Narrative Review from Cancer Cachexia to Target Therapy.Biomedicines · 2025Review
- Significant weight gain benefits of nanocrystalline megestrol acetate for patients with cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome.Translational cancer research · 2025Article
- Clinical significance of mirtazapine for anorexia in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.Journal of thoracic disease · 2025Article
- Sarcopenia in Terminally Ill Patients with Cancer: Clinical Implications, Diagnostic Challenges, and Management Strategies.Journal of hospice and palliative care · 2025Review
- Mechanisms and pharmacotherapy of cancer cachexia-associated anorexia.Pharmacology research & perspectives · 2025Review
- Role of diet, physical activity and new drugs in the primary management of cancer cachexia in gastrointestinal tumors - a comprehensive review.Frontiers in oncology · 2025Review
- Analysis of clinical factors and inflammatory cytokines in patients with lung cancer and sarcopenia: a prospective single-center cohort study.Frontiers in oncology · 2025Article
- Understanding cachexia and its impact on lung cancer and beyond.Chinese medical journal pulmonary and critical care medicine · 2024Review
- Review
- Supportive care of female hormones in brain health: what and how?Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Review
- Nutrological therapy in oncology: from prevention to nutritional support during treatment.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2024Article
- Unlocking Prognostic Genes and Multi-Targeted Therapeutic Bioactives from Herbal Medicines to Combat Cancer-Associated Cachexia: A Transcriptomics and Network Pharmacology Approach.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- What do patients and oncologists think about the evaluation and management of cancer-related anorexia-cachexia? The Quasar_SEOM study.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Cancer-related anorexia/cachexia is known to be associated with worsened quality of life and survival; however, limited treatment options exist. Although megestrol acetate (MA) is often used off-label to stimulate appetite and improve anorexia/cachexia in patients with advanced cancers, the benefits are controversial. The present meta-analysis aimed to better elucidate the clinical benefits of MA in patients with cancer-related anorexia/cachexia. A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, OVID Medline, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar databases found 23 clinical trials examining the use of MA in cancer-related anorexia. The available randomized, controlled trials were appraised using Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2) and they had moderate-to-high risk of bias. A total of eight studies provided sufficient data on weight change for meta-analysis. The studies were divided into high-dose treatment (>320 mg/day) and low-dose treatment (≤320 mg/day). The overall pooled mean change in weight among cancer patients treated with MA, regardless of dosage was 0.75 kg (95% CI = −1.64 to 3.15, τ2 = 9.35, I2 = 96%). Patients who received high-dose MA tended to have weight loss rather than weight gain. There were insufficient studies to perform a meta-analysis for the change in tricep skinfold, midarm circumference, or quality of life measures. MA was generally well-tolerated, except for a clear thromboembolic risk, especially with higher doses. On balance, MA did not appear to be effective in providing the symptomatic improvement of anorexia/cachexia in patients with advanced cancer.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.