A multi-centre randomised controlled trial comparing megestrol acetate to levonorgestrel-intrauterine system in fertility sparing treatment of atypical endometrial hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: The objective of the trial was to compare the regression rate of atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) in patients treated with megestrol acetate (MA) vs. levonorgestrel-intrauterine device (LNG-IUS). We also aimed to assess the fertility and pregnancy outcomes in these patients. METHODS: The study was a phase II multi-centre randomised controlled trial on the use of MA compared to LNG-IUS in the treatment of AEH conducted from January 2020 to January 2024 in Singapore. Women who were diagnosed with AEH and between 21 and 40 years old were included. The patients were randomised to receive either MA (160 mg orally daily) or LNG-IUS. The primary outcomes assessed were the regression rates at 3 months, 6 months and 9 months of treatment. The secondary outcomes assessed were the side effects, patient acceptability and fertility outcomes. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients completed the trial. The overall regression rate was 88.9% by 9 months. There was no statistically significant difference in the 9-month complete regression rate between MA vs. LNG-IUS. There was also no significant difference in side effects and weight change between both arms. Nineteen patients were actively pursuing fertility after complete regression. There were 8 pregnancies achieved, with resultant 4 live births and 4 miscarriages. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms a high regression rate of AH with medical treatment. LNG-IUS is a non-inferior treatment compared to megestrol acetate. Successful pregnancy outcomes can be achieved after regression of AEH. Long-term studies of sufficient sample-size are needed to assess for fertility and pregnancy outcomes, risk of recurrence and long-term risk of malignancy. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The study was registered with the Health Science Authority (HSA) (License No.: CTA1900087) on September 5, 2019: https://eservice.hsa.gov.sg/prism/ct_r/enquiry.do?action=loadSpecificDetail . The trial was registered retrospectively on ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT05492487) on April 7, 2022: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05492487 .

The potential of cannabinoids in managing cancer-related anorexia in older adults: a systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Anorexia of aging (AoA) is a prevalent geriatric syndrome characterized by a multifactorial decline in appetite and reduced food intake associated with the aging process. This systematic review aims to investigate the use and outcomes of cannabinoids in addressing AoA, with the goal of providing a comprehensive understanding and discussing their potential integration into daily clinical practice. METHODS: A thorough search of databases (Embase Ovid, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) identified 6100 studies. After eliminating duplicates and screening titles and abstracts, 25 studies underwent full appraisal. Two reviewers assessed inclusion suitability, and study methodologies were evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for observational studies and the modified Jadad Scoring Scale for randomized controlled trials. Ultimately, six studies published between 2002 and 2019, involving 869 participants, were included in the review. RESULTS: Out of the 6 fin. l papers selected, 5 were randomized trials, and 1 was a prospective study. Megestrol acetate (800 mg/d) proved to be more effective than dronabinol 2.5 mg twice a day in increasing appetite. Nabilone (at a dosage of 0.5 mg per day) did not show superiority over placebo in alleviating symptoms such as pain, nausea, loss of appetite, and weight. However, with a double dosage followed by 1.0 mg/6 weeks, after eight weeks of treatment, patients recorded a significant increase in calorie intake and carbohydrate consumption compared to the placebo group, with some patients also experiencing substantial weight gain. Regarding delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a weight increase of ≥10% was observed in 17.6% of patients with doses of 5 mg or 10 mg capsules daily, without significant side effects. Additionally, patients treated with THC 2.5 mg reported improved chemosensory perception and increased appetite before meals compared to placebo. No significant side effects were reported in older adults taking cannabinoids. CONCLUSIONS: Cannabinoids offer promise in enhancing the quality of life for older individuals with active neoplastic disease. However, to establish comprehensive guidelines, further research with larger sample sizes is essential. Only through this approach can we fully grasp the potential and application of cannabinoids in addressing the nutritional concerns associated with neoplastic diseases.

A taste alteration-related scale assesses megestrol to improve chemotherapy-induced anorexia.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the efficacy of megestrol in improving chemotherapy-related anorexia by analyzing the related scales of taste alteration. METHODS: We conducted the current study on a group of advanced patients with cancer with two or more chemotherapy cycles. The chemotherapy-induced taste alteration scale (CiTAs) scale helped assess the megestrol effects on basic taste perception, aversive taste changes, unpleasant symptoms, and associated concerns. Furthermore, the Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire scale (SNAQ) helped measure the impact of megestrol on malnutrition likelihood in patients experiencing chemotherapy-induced anorexia. The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF Scale was used to evaluate the quality of life of participants, producing scores related to physical health, psychological well-being, environmental factors, and social relationships. RESULTS: The CiTAs scale assessment indicated that administering megestrol significantly enhanced taste perception among advanced patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Notably, the megestrol group patients showed significantly higher Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ) scores than the control group. The megestrol group patients also exhibited higher physiological (PHYS) scores than their control group counterparts. However, this distinction was not statistically significant. The study findings indicate that patients who received megestrol demonstrated significantly higher scores in psychological (PSYCH) and environmental(ENVIR) domains than the control group. Furthermore, megestrol administration was associated with significantly elevated SOCIL and ENVIR levels in patients. CONCLUSION: The proficient efficacy evaluation of megestrol in enhancing appetite, mitigating malnutrition likelihood, and improving the quality of life of chemotherapy-induced anorexic patients can be achieved through taste-related scales.

The efficacy of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system versus oral megestrol acetate in treating atypical endometrial hyperplasia: a superior randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) versus megestrol acetate (MA) in inducing complete regression among women with atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) who declined hysterectomy. METHODS: In this single-center, open-label randomized controlled trial, we included 148 women with AEH who declined hysterectomy. We randomized participants to receive either daily oral MA 160 mg (n=74) or apply LNG-IUS (n=74) and scheduled their follow-up by endometrial sampling at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months. The success rate and duration until complete regression were the primary outcomes. RESULTS: The mean duration until complete regression was 5.52 months (95% confidence interval [CI]=4.85-6.18) for the LNG-IUS group versus 6.87 months (95% CI=6.09-7.64) for the megestrol group (log-rank test p-value=0.011). The cumulative regression rate after 12 months was 91.9% with the LNG-IUS versus 77% with MA (p=0.026). Weight gain in the MA group vs LNG-IUS group after one year (4.7±4 kg vs. 2.7±2.6 kg, 95% CI=0.89-3.12; p=0.001) and after two years of therapy (7.8±5.1 kg vs. 4.1±2.9 kg, 95% CI=2.29-5.06; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Compared to MA, the LNG-IUS was more efficacious in treating AEH in women who declined hysterectomy, especially those with moderate/severe obesity, with fewer adverse effects and less weight gain. Extending therapy to 12 months for persistent cases would improve regression rates with reasonable safety. Alternate hysteroscopic and office sampling seemed convenient for follow-up. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04385667.

Mirtazapine versus megestrol acetate in treatment of anorexia-cachexia in advanced cancer patients: a randomized, double-blind trial.

OBJECTIVE: Cancer-related anorexia-cachexia comprises one of the most common syndromes of advanced cancer patients. The management of cancer-related anorexia-cachexia is a great challenge in clinical practice. There are no definite practice guidelines yet for the prevention and treatment of cancer-related anorexia-cachexia. This study is considered to find out whether there is any role of mirtazapine in the improvement of anorexia in cancer patients. METHODS: A total of 80 cancer-anorexia patients were enrolled. Patients in the trial arm received the standard chemotherapy medication plus one tablet of mirtazapine 15 mg daily at night orally for 8 weeks starting from the day of an initial assessment. The control arm received the standard chemotherapy medication plus one tablet of megestrol acetate 160 mg daily orally for 8 weeks starting from the day of an initial assessment. Each patient was assessed by validated versions of Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy Anorexia/Cachexia Sub Scale v 4 questionnaires. RESULTS: After 4 and 8 weeks each patient was evaluated again using the Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy Anorexia/Cachexia Sub Scale tool. The quality of life of each patient was assessed by European Organization for Research and Treatment QLQ-C30 v 3.0. After 4 to 8 weeks of treatment, the Functional Assessment of Anorexia/Cachexia Therapy Anorexia/Cachexia Sub Scale score in cancer anorexia patients in the mirtazapine improved anorexia significantly. However, the improvement after 4 to 8 weeks was not statistically significant when it was compared with the megestrol acetate (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, the findings of this study reveal that mirtazapine might be a potential alternative to megestrol acetate, as it has shown potential efficacy as like as megestrol acetate.

A randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial of megestrol acetate or dexamethasone in treating symptomatic anorexia in people with advanced cancer.

This multi-site, double blind, parallel arm, fixed dose, randomised placebo controlled phase III study compared megestrol acetate 480 mg/day with dexamethasone 4 mg/day for their net effects on appetite in people with cancer anorexia. Patients with advanced cancer and anorexia for ≥ 2 weeks with a score ≤ 4 (0-10 numeric rating scale (NRS) 0 = no appetite, 10 = best possible appetite) were recruited. Participants received megestrol 480 mg or dexamethasone 4 mg or placebo daily for up to 4 weeks. Primary outcomes were at day 7. Responders were defined as having a ≥ 25% improvement in NRS over baseline. There were 190 people randomised (megestrol acetate n = 61; dexamethasone n = 67, placebo n = 62). At week 1 (primary endpoint), 79·3% in the megestrol group, 65·5% in the dexamethasone group and 58·5% in the placebo group (p = 0.067) were responders. No differences in performance status or quality of life were reported. Treatment emergent adverse events were frequent (90·4% of participants), and included altered mood and insomnia. Hyperglycemia and deep vein thromboses were more frequent when on dexamethasone than the other two arms. There was no difference in groups between the three arms, with no benefit seen over placebo with anorexia improving in all arms.Trail registration: The trial was registered on 19/08/2008 with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12608000405314).

Efficacy and safety of pharmacological cachexia interventions: systematic review and network meta-analysis.

AIMS: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrated benefits of pharmacological interventions for cachexia in improving weight and appetite. However, comparative efficacy and safety are not available. We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) to evaluate the relative efficacy and safety of pharmacological interventions for cachexia. METHODS: PubMed, EmBase, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for RCTs until October 2019. Key outcomes were total body weight (TBW) improvement, appetite (APP) score and serious adverse events. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias. NMA was performed to estimate weight gain and APP score increase at 8 weeks, presented as mean difference (MD) or standardised MD with 95% CI. RESULTS: 80 RCTs (10 579 patients) with 12 treatments were included. Majority is patients with cancer (7220). Compared with placebo, corticosteroids, high-dose megestrol acetate combination (Megace_H_Com) (≥400 mg/day), medroxyprogesterone, high-dose megestrol acetate (Megace_H) (≥400 mg/day), ghrelin mimetic and androgen analogues (Androgen) were significantly associated with MD of TBW of 6.45 (95% CI 2.45 to 10.45), 4.29 (95% CI 2.23 to 6.35), 3.18 (95% CI 0.94 to 5.41), 2.66 (95% CI 1.47 to 3.85), 1.73 (95% CI 0.27 to 3.20) and 1.50 (95% CI 0.56 to 2.44) kg. For appetite improvement, Megace_H_Com, Megace_H and Androgen significantly improved standardised APP score, compared with placebo. There is no significant difference in serious adverse events from all interventions compared with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that several pharmacological interventions have potential to offer benefits in treatment of cachexia especially Megace_H and short-term use corticosteroids. Nonetheless, high-quality comparative studies to compare safety and efficacy are warranted for better management of cachexia.

Continued medical treatment for persistent early endometrial cancer in young women.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of continuing medical therapy in patients who did not achieve complete response (CR) despite 9 months of progestin treatment. We also sought to determine the prognostic factors associated with achieving CR among these patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 51 patients with presumed stage IA, grade 1 or 2 endometrioid adenocarcinoma who had persistent disease on biopsy performed at 9-12 months after at least 9 months of progestin-based therapy. Data on clinicopathological factors and oncological and obstetrical outcomes following continuous hormonal treatment were extracted from the patients' medical records and analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses for predicting CR were performed. RESULTS: Thirty-seven (72.5%) of 51 patients achieved CR after prolonged fertility-sparing treatment. Median time to CR from starting initial progestin was 17.3 months (range, 12.1-91.7 months). On univariate analysis, history of polycystic ovarian syndrome, histologic grade 2, and not achieving partial response (PR) until 12 months were significantly associated with failure to CR (odds ratio [OR], 6.188, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.405-27.244, p = 0.018; OR, 9.722, 95% CI, 1.614-58.581, p = 0.013; and OR, 21.750, 95% CI, 4.016-117.783, p < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that not achieving PR until 12 months was an independent prognostic factor predicting failure to CR after prolonged progestin therapy (OR, 21.803, 95% CI, 3.601-132.025, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Continued medical treatment is effective for persistent early endometrial carcinoma after at least 9 months of progestin therapy in young women who want to preserve their fertility.

Oncologic and obstetrical outcomes after fertility-preserving retreatment in patients with recurrent atypical endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: A number of patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer have not yet given birth when they relapse after achieving complete response with initial fertility-preserving treatment. Often such patients still have a strong desire for fertility preservation; however, there are limited reports in the related literature on the efficacy of fertility-preserving retreatment in patients with relapse. This study intends to evaluate the safety and efficacy of fertility-preserving retreatment in patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer after recurrence following initial fertility-preserving treatment. METHODS: Data from 110 patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer who received fertility-preserving treatment in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University People's Hospital (December 2005 to September 2019) were collected, and a retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical characteristics, histopathology results, and outcomes of 25 patients with recurrence. RESULTS: 25 patients (9 with atypical endometrial hyperplasia and 16 with endometrial cancer) received fertility-preserving retreatment. After a median treatment duration of 5 months (range 3-18), 21 patients (84%, 21/25) achieved complete response and 4 patients (16%, 4/25) had a partial response. The median follow-up time was 19.5 months (range 8-76), and a total of 8 patients (38.1%, 8/21) relapsed. The time from retreatment to complete response for endometrial cancer was significantly longer than that for atypical endometrial hyperplasia (7.5 vs 3 months; p=0.007). Among the 21 patients who achieved complete response, 12 patients had a desire for fertility, among whom 8 patients had a successful pregnancy (66.7%, 8/12) and 6 patients experienced term birth (1 patient with natural pregnancy and 5 patients with assisted reproductive technology). Six patients (50%, 6/12) delivered 6 full-term babies. CONCLUSION: The response rate is high and obstetrical outcomes are favorable after fertility-preserving retreatment in patients with recurrence of atypical endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer.

Metformin plus megestrol acetate compared with megestrol acetate alone as fertility-sparing treatment in patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia and well-differentiated endometrial cancer: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of metformin in megestrol acetate (MA)-based fertility-sparing treatment for patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) and endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC). DESIGN: A randomised, single-centre, open-label, controlled trial conducted between October 2013 and December 2017. SETTING: Shanghai OBGYN Hospital of Fudan University, China. POPULATION: A total of 150 patients (18-45 years old) with primary AEH or well-differentiated EEC were randomised into an MA group (n = 74) and an MA plus metformin group (n = 76). METHODS: Patients with AEH or EEC were firstly stratified, then randomised to receive MA (160 mg orally, daily) or MA (160 mg orally, daily) plus metformin (500 mg orally, three times a day). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary efficacy parameter was the cumulate complete response (CR) rate within 16 weeks of treatment (16w-CR rate); the secondary efficacy parameters were 30w-CR rate and adverse events. RESULTS: The 16w-CR rate was higher in the metformin plus MA group than in the MA-only group (34.3 versus 20.7%, odds ratio [OR] 2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.89-4.51, P = 0.09) but the difference was more significant in 102 AEH patients (39.6 versus 20.4%, OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.06-6.21, P = 0.04). This effect of metformin was also significant in non-obese (51.4 versus 24.3%, OR 3.28, 95% CI 1.22-8.84, P = 0.02) and insulin-sensitive (54.8 versus 28.6%, OR 3.04, 95% CI 1.03-8.97, P = 0.04) subgroups of AEH women. No significant result was found in secondary endpoints. CONCLUSION: As a fertility-sparing treatment, metformin plus MA was associated with a higher early CR rate compared with MA alone in AEH patients. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: For AEH patients, metformin plus MA might be a better fertility-sparing treatment to achieve a higher early CR rate compared with MA alone.

The elucidation of key factors for oral absorption enhancement of nanocrystal formulations: In vitro-in vivo correlation of nanocrystals.

Nanocrystal formulation is a well-established approach for improving oral absorption of poorly water-soluble drugs. However, it is difficult to predict the in vivo performance of nanocrystal formulations from in vitro dissolution studies. The object of the present study was to investigate the in vitro-in vivo correlation of nanocrystal formulations of different particle sizes. A microsuspension and three nanosuspensions with different particle sizes for model drugs, fenofibrate and megestrol acetate, were prepared. In the comparison between the microsuspension and the nanosuspension having the smallest particle sizes, drug permeation rates from the nanosuspension were about 3-fold higher in the dissolution-permeation study. On the other hand, the solubility enhancement effect due to nanocrystal formation was only up by 1.4-fold, suggesting that nanocrystal formulations dramatically improved not the solubility but the apparent permeability. The oral absorption rate in rats increased with particle size reduction. There were positive and very strong correlations (R2 > 0.95) between the in vitro permeation rate and in vivo maximum absorption rate. We concluded that the enhanced permeability rate due to nanocrystal formation is the main factor for improving oral absorption, and the in vitro dissolution-permeation study could be useful for predicting oral absorption enhancement of nanocrystal formulations.

Treatment efficiency of comprehensive hysteroscopic evaluation and lesion resection combined with progestin therapy in young women with endometrial atypical hyperplasia and endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of comprehensive hysteroscopic evaluation and lesion resection combined with progestin therapy in young patients with endometrial atypical hyperplasia (EAH) and early stage endometrial cancer (EEC) who wished to preserve their fertility. METHODS: Patients with EAH (n = 120) or well-differentiated EEC (n = 40, FIGO stage IA, without myometrial invasion) were retrospectively included. All patients received constant oral progestin combined with hysteroscopic evaluation every 3 months until achieving complete response (CR). The location, number and size of each suspected lesion or cluster were detailly recorded during the hysteroscopy. RESULTS: The median age was 32.0 year-old (range, 22-47 year-old). Totally 148 patients (97.4%) achieved CR while 3 EAH and 1 EEC patients presented with disease progression, and 8 patients were still in treatment. The mean treatment duration for achieving CR was 6.7 ±â€¯0.3 months (range, 1-18 months). After adjusting for patient age, body mass index (BMI), history of pregnancy and type of conservative therapies, lesion size ≤2 cm (OR, 0.701; 95% CI, 0.496-0.991; P = 0.045) was significantly correlated with shorter treatment time to achieve CR. Among 60 patients attempted to conceive after achieving CR, 45.0% (15/60) had been pregnant, 25.0% (15/60) delivered live birth, 13.3% (8/60) are still in pregnancy, while 6.7% experienced spontaneous abortion. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive hysteroscopic evaluation and lesion resection plus progestin therapy seem to be an effective and safe fertility sparing therapy for patients with EAH or EEC. Endometrial lesion size ≤2 cm correlated with a shorter treatment period to achieve CR.

Megestrol Acetate Induces Declarative Memory Changes and Cortisol Suppression in Healthy Volunteers.

BACKGROUND: The effects of the glucocorticoid and progesterone receptor agonist megestrol on declarative memory, and the ability of phenytoin to block these effects, were assessed. METHODS: Healthy volunteers received each medication combination (placebo and megestrol, phenytoin and megestrol, and placebo and placebo) using a randomized, crossover design. The Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test assessed declarative memory. RESULTS: Megestrol was associated with a significant reduction in declarative memory (p = 0.0008), which was attenuated by phenytoin, and was associated with significant cortisol suppression compared to placebo (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Changes in memory and cortisol suppression were found in healthy volunteers given megestrol.

Fabrication of Eudragit polymeric nanoparticles using ultrasonic nebulization method for enhanced oral absorption of megestrol acetate.

Megestrol acetate (MGA) is used as a progestagen to treat advanced cancers in the breast or uterus and anorexia-cachexia syndrome in cancer patients. Due to its low solubility (BCS class II), MGA bioavailability needs to be enhanced for efficacy and safety. We developed MGA-encapsulated Eudragit® L100 (EUD) nanoparticles (MGA-EUD (1:1) and MGA-EUD (2:1)) using an ultrasonic nebulization method. MGA-EUD (1:1) and MGA-EUD (2:1) consisted of MGA and EUD at the mass ratios of 1:1 and 2:1. Their physicochemical properties, i.e. particle size, loading efficiency, morphology, and crystallinity were determined. Dissolution tests were performed using USP method II. For pharmacokinetics, they were orally administered at 50 mg/kg to mice. Microcrystalline MGA suspension (MGA-MC, Megace®, BMS) was used as control. MGA-EUD (1:1) and MGA-EUD (2:1) had a smooth and spherical shape of 0.70 and 1.05 µm in diameter with loading efficiencies of 93 and 95% showing amorphous states of MGA. They significantly enhanced the dissolution potential of MGA. Oral bioavailability of MGA-EUD (1:1) and MGA-EUD (2:1) increased 2.0- and 1.7-fold compared to that of MGA-MC. It suggests that ultrasonic nebulization method for the fabrication of polymeric nanoparticles is a promising approach to improve the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.

A successful live birth with in vitro fertilization and thawed embryo transfer after conservative treatment of recurrent endometrial cancer.

Estrogen-dependent early stage endometrial cancer is relatively common in young women of reproductive age. The standard treatment is hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), even in early stage well-differentiated endometrial cancer patients. This surgical option results in permanent loss of fertility. There have been some reports of live births using in vitro fertilization after conservative management of endometrial cancer with high-dose progestin for the purpose of fertility preservation. However, most were not recurrent cases and pregnancy was achieved through conventional in vitro fertilization, which usually raises serum estradiol levels and may lead to the recurrence of endometrial cancer. To date, it is hard to find a case that can be referred for any possible different approach needed for the patients who experience recurrence. Here we report a successful live birth with in vitro fertilization using letrozole to maintain physiological levels of estradiol, and subsequent thawed embryo transfer after elective cryopreservation of embryos in a patient with recurrent endometrial cancer. There has been no evidence of disease recurrence at one year after delivery.

Fertility Preserved Hysteroscopic Approach for the Treatment of Stage Ia Endometrioid Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the feasibility of a hysteroscopic procedure combined with progestin therapy in young patients with stage Ia endometrioid carcinoma (EC) to avoid sterilization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven young women with stage Ia EC (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics grade 1) who were treated with a hysteroscopic approach combined with progestin from July 2004 to June 2016 were retrospectively analyzed and followed up to monitor their general recovery and pregnancy outcome. RESULTS: The patients' median age was 27.3 years (range, 25-39 years). Comorbidities consisted of primary infertility in 8 patients, polycystic ovary syndrome in 4, uterine fibroids in 2, and diabetes in 1. The results of immunohistochemical analysis were positive for all estrogen and progestin receptors. After treatment, 9 patients attained complete remission, and 2 patients achieved partial remission. The results of peritoneal cytology in 4 patients were negative. As of this writing, 6 of the 11 patients have given birth to 7 infants, and 1 patient had an ectopic pregnancy. Two patients ultimately underwent radical resection. The average follow-up time was 82.3 months (range, 15 to 152 months), and all patients remain disease-free. CONCLUSIONS: Hysteroscopic surgery combined with progestin treatment for stage Ia EC in young patients to avoid sterilization was practical and may represent a new option for patients with stage Ia EC who wish to preserve their fertility.

Effects of oral megestrol acetate administration on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of oral megestrol acetate (MA) administration on adrenal function in male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). DESIGN Serial cross-sectional study. ANIMALS 8 adult male dolphins, all of which were receiving MA at various daily doses (range, 0 to 60 mg, PO) for the control of reproductive behavior. PROCEDURES Blood samples were collected every 2 weeks for 1 year from dolphins trained to voluntarily provide them. Cortisol, ACTH, and other hormone concentrations were measured in serum or plasma via radioimmunoassay or ELISA. Fecal samples, also provided by dolphins voluntarily, were assayed for glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations. Effects of daily MA dose on hormone concentrations were evaluated. RESULTS Daily MA doses as low as 10 mg strongly suppressed cortisol secretion in nearly all dolphins, and except for a single measurement, no dolphin had measurable serum concentrations at doses ≥ 20 mg. Variations in serum cortisol concentration were unrelated to season but were directly related to ACTH concentrations, suggesting primary effects upstream of the adrenal gland. Cessation of MA administration resulted in almost immediate restoration of measurable serum cortisol concentrations, although concentrations continued to rise in a few dolphins over the following weeks to months. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Caution should be exercised when administering MA to control reproductive behavior in male dolphins. Because the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis appeared to be sensitive to even small doses of MA in dolphins, duration of treatment may be the most critical consideration.

Significance of body weight change during fertility-sparing progestin therapy in young women with early endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of body weight change during fertility-sparing progestin therapy on oncologic and reproductive outcomes in young women with early-stage endometrial cancer who did not complete child bearing. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study included 154 young patients with well-differentiated, endometrium-confined endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma on magnetic resonance imaging who received fertility-sparing progestin therapy. RESULTS: The mean body weight and body mass index (BMI) at baseline and progestin therapy completion was 65.3±16.2 and 66.5±15.9kg (P=0.044), respectively, and 25.51±5.99 and 25.99±5.94kg/m2 (P=0.034), respectively. During progestin therapy, 51 (33.1%), 29 (18.8%), and 74 patients (48.1%) had weight loss, no weight change, and weight gain, respectively, of which 11 (7.1%) had 10% weight loss and 30 (19.5%) had 10% weight gain. A pretreatment BMI of ≥25kg/m2 was significantly associated with a lower complete response rate to progestin therapy (P=0.003) and a high recurrence rate (P=0.033). A posttreatment BMI of ≥25kg/m2 was also a significant factor for high recurrence rate (P=0.049). However, weight change during therapy was not significantly associated with complete response or recurrence rate. Pre and posttreatment BMIs and weight change were not associated with pregnancy and live birth rates. CONCLUSION: Weight change during progestin therapy has little influence on complete response, recurrence, pregnancy, and live birth rates. However, pre and posttreatment BMIs of ≥25kg/m2 were significant predictors for poor treatment response and high recurrence. Therefore, it is important to maintain patients' normal BMIs during progestin therapy.

Fertility preserving treatment with hysteroscopic resection followed by progestin therapy in young women with early endometrial cancer.

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.