Indications
Apemeg tablet is indicated for the palliative treatment of advanced carcinoma of the breast or endometrium (i.e., recurrent, inoperable or metastatic disease). It should not be used instead of currently accepted procedures such as surgery, radiation or chemotherapy.Apemeg oral suspension is indicated for the treatment of anorexia, cachexia, or an unexplained, significant weight loss in patients with a diagnosis of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) & cancer.
⚠️ Always consult a registered physician before taking any medicine.
Pharmacology
Megestrol Acetate is a synthetic drug with both antineoplastic and progestational activity. The precise mechanism by which it produces its antineoplastic effect against endometrial carcinoma is not yet known, though inhibition of pituitary gonadotrophin production, and the resulting drop in estrogen secretion, may play a part. Against breast cancer, its antineoplastic action works by modifying the action of other steroid hormones and by exerting a direct cytotoxic effect on tumor cells. In metastatic cancer, hormone receptors may be present in some tissues but absent in others. The receptor mechanism is a cyclic process: estrogen produced by the ovaries enters the target cell, forms a complex with a cytoplasmic receptor, and is carried into the cell nucleus, where it induces gene transcription and alters normal cell function. At pharmacologic doses, megestrol acetate not only reduces the number of hormone-dependent human breast cancer cells but is also able to modify and abolish the stimulatory effects of estrogen on these cells.
Estimates of plasma levels of Megestrol Acetate depend on the measurement method used. Peak plasma concentrations are reached 2 to 3 hours after a single oral dose of a 160 mg tablet. The plasma half-life of Megestrol Acetate is 33 to 38 hours, with approximately 66% of an administered dose excreted in the urine and about 20% in the faeces.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Megestrol Acetate is not advised for use during pregnancy. Reports have linked exposure to progestational drugs in the first trimester with genital abnormalities in both male and female foetuses. There isn't enough data to say precisely how much risk this poses to female foetuses, but some drugs in this class are known to cause mild virilisation of the external genitalia in females.
If a woman is exposed to Megestrol Acetate during the first four months of pregnancy, or becomes pregnant while taking it, she should be made aware of these potential risks to the foetus. Women who could become pregnant should be advised to avoid doing so while on this medicine. Because of the potential for adverse effects in the infant, breastfeeding should be stopped during treatment with Megestrol Acetate.
⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Dosage Reference
⚠️ Reference ranges from official sources only. Consult your doctor for personalized dosing.