Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency Associated with Megestrol Acetate in a Patient with Lung Cancer.

Park, Ji Chan; Park, Suk Young

doi:2009.67.1.47

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 67(1); 2009 > Article

Case Report

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2009;67(1):47-51.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2009.67.1.47 Published online July 1, 2009.

Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency Associated with Megestrol Acetate in a Patient with Lung Cancer.

Ji Chan Park, Suk Young Park

Department of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. sypark1011@hotmail.com

Abstract

Loss of appetite is an important factor in the quality of life for advanced cancer patients. Megestrol acetate is used to stimulate appetite, but it can cause suppression of the pituitary adrenal axis due to the affinity of the glucocorticoid receptor. Adrenal insufficiency is a life threatening disorder if left, untreated, but the initial clinical symptoms of the patients are vague. Awareness of the glucocorticoid-like activity of megestrol acetate and its side effects are important for the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency. We present a case of secondary adrenal insufficiency associated with megestrol acetate in a patient with lung cancer.

Key Words: Adrenal insufficiency, Lung neoplasms, Megestrol acetate