Megestrol and Exercise in Treating Patients With Cancer-Related Weight Loss

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2003-11-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

RATIONALE: Megestrol helps improve appetite. Exercise may decrease cancer-related fatigue, improve strength, and build up lost muscle tissue. Exercise plus megestrol may be effective treatment for cancer-related weight loss.

PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of megestrol plus exercise to improve appetite, increase strength, gain lean body tissue, and decrease fatigue in patients who have cancer-related weight loss.

• Phase: Phase 2
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Northwestern University
• Collaborator: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Treatments: Megestrol; Megestrol Acetate

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Advanced nonhormone responsive malignancy (metastatic or incurable) Nonvolitional weight loss of between 6-9% of usual body weight over past 6 months OR Decrease of 5 pounds in the past 2 months or less (not greater than 10% loss of usual body weight) No clinical or radiologic evidence of ascites or pleural effusion No lytic bone metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Over 18 Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: At least 4 months Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified Cardiovascular: No venous thrombosis No congestive heart failure Other: Able to participate in exercise program for 1 hour, 3 times/week No physical handicap that precludes aerobic or resistance exercise No clinical abnormality that renders exercise a risk At least 1 month since strength training of 3 hours or more per week No physical or functional obstruction to food intake No uncontrolled emesis greater than 5 episodes/week No diarrhea greater than 4 stools/day intractable to antidiarrheal medication No IV hyperalimentation No contraindications to megestrol No dementia or mental incompetence No known AIDS Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: Not specified Endocrine therapy: No concurrent adrenal steroids (other than for replacement), anabolics, appetite stimulants, or progestational agents Intermittent corticosteroids as antiemetic or premedication for cancer treatment allowed At least 6 weeks since prior megestrol Radiotherapy: Not specified Surgery: Not specified