title: Effect of megestrol acetate on the human pituitary-adrenal axis.
abstract: A few previous reports have suggested that megestrol acetate, a synthetic progestational agent frequently used as an antineoplastic drug, suppresses serum cortisol concentrations in humans. To explore this concept further, we prospectively performed several measurements of the pituitary-adrenal axis in patients receiving megestrol acetate (160 or 800 mg/day). The data from these evaluations demonstrate that megestrol acetate reversibly decreases serum cortisol concentrations in humans and that this effect seems to originate from a suppression of the pituitary-adrenal axis. Additional studies should be conducted to determine the implications of the low levels of serum cortisol.
authors: Division of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
authors: C L
authors: CL
authors: Loprinzi
authors: M D
authors: MD
authors: Jensen
authors: N S
authors: NS
authors: Jiang
authors: D J
authors: DJ
authors: Schaid
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008535:Megestrol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019290:Megestrol Acetate; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D008535:Megestrol; D019290:Megestrol Acetate; D006854:Hydrocortisone