Progesterone & Cancer Cells

Hi,
I've been reading all the posts on the pros and cons of progesterone BUT I haven't seen anyone post a note about progesterone (Megestrol Acetate) being used to destroy cancer cells in the endometrium. I was told by a Dr. at M D Anderson Cancer Center in Orlando that Megace was a possible means of trying to destroy cancer cells that were found in my biopsy. I was told I had Adenocarcinoma Grade 1 of the Uterus and because I am such a horrible candidate for surgery this progesterone was what he considered a possibility to try berfore surgery, problem is when I decided to go that route he told me he was an Oncologist/gynecologist surgeon and he didn't prescribe this treatment. So much for that option which he himself told me he had a few patients who had been on this treatment and their cancer hadn't advanced in 9 years.
To shorten the story I found a GYN/ONC surgeon who was willing to try the Megace for two months. I don't know what to expect from this progesterone and I'm not even sure it is going to help me but I sure would like to know if there is anyone else out there who has gone this route.I've been on 40 mg 2x a day for the last ten days and the only thing I know for sure is that I have to be very careful when I feel the need to void I have to make sure I go right away or I will leak a little bit. I'm soooo discouraged with the whole thing.....I have been put on Lexapro for depression and Prozac and Xanax for anxiety. I hope someone out there can give me some information or please tell me where to find it. Someone mentioned a swollen abdomen might be the cause of the urine problem but I don't know how to tell if I have a swollen abdomen or not....what am I looking for???
Please any and all information would be greatly appreciated. One thing I can say for sure about progesterone at least the pills I am taking make me nauseous.....and I seem to be getting less and less sleep......and as far as appetite is concerned I have urges for food I never cared for and I don't need the increased appetite!!
LL

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. You might want to put this thread on to the cancer concerns board where im sure you will find someone who has been down the same road.

All the best
Sheila

Hi LadyL22,
There have been some threads on Megace before. Go to search within hystersisters site and perform a search using the keyword 'Megace' or 'megesterol acetate'. Good luck.

(((LL))) we don't get many posts about Megace on this board because Megace isn't usually used as HRT after a hyst/BSO, but is more likely to be used before resorting to a hysterectomy, as you're doing.

Also, Megace is not progesterone but rather a synthetic progestin, which is a man made substance that acts like progesterone in some ways. Because it is not exactly progesterone, it tends to be more likely to cause side effects than natural progesterone would.

The best areas of Hystersisters to find info on Megace in are the Hysterectomy Options and Alternatives board and the Cancer Concerns board. As was already mentioned, a search on Megace here should yield some great information.

The problem with urinary urgency may be due to the Megace blocking the effects of estrogen on your urethral and vaginal tissues. As the area gets lower in estrogen, you may also start to experience some vaginal dryness, which feels like the beginning of a yeast infection (itchy, scratcy, sore feeling). This is something you could ask your DR about.

By the way, I ran your meds (Megace, Prozac, Xanax and Lexapro) through a drug interaction checker, and it said that Prozac can interact with Xanax such that the potential side effects of Xanax can be increased:

	Quote:
FLUOXETINE (in Prozac) may interact with ALPRAZOLAM (in Xanax) Fluoxetine may block the breakdown of alprazolam by the liver. If this happens, blood levels of alprazolam could be increased and this could cause an increase in side effects. Side effects that may occur with the use of alprazolam include prolonged sedation, dizziness, confusion, and breathing difficulties. Use caution when driving or performing tasks that require careful attention. Based on information from one study involving a small number of healthy people who took fluoxetine and alprazolam together, this interaction does not appear to cause any harmful effects. If you are taking these drugs at the same time and experience an increase in side effects, your doctor may consider adjusting the dose of alprazolam. You may want to ask your healthcare provider about this potential interaction if you think you are having problems.

You might want to check with your DR about this, if he/she hasn't already discussed it with you.

s,
-Linda