Prescription Pattern of Anamorelin; a Therapeutic Agent for Cancer Cachexia

• Published in: Journal of palliative medicine
• Main Authors: Tambo, Yoshihiro, Kajiura, Shinya, Yoshida, Akihiro, Chikaoka, Shingo, Tanabe, Yuki, Kanai, Nahoko, Takayuki, Ando, Ueda, Akira, Moto, Iori, Nakayama, Yurika, Shima, Tomoko, Matsushita, Yukiko, Mizukami, Tatsuji, Kainuma, Mosaburou, Yasuda, Ichiro, Hayashi, Ryuji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2024
• Subjects: pancreatic cancer; meal intake; retrospective study
• ISSN: 1557-7740
• DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2024.0050

The commercial availability of anamorelin, Japan's first therapeutic agent for cancer cachexia in 2021, led to an investigation into its prescription patterns at Toyama University Hospital. We aimed to analyze anamorelin prescription trends and outcomes among cancer cachexia patients. A retrospective study from July 2021 to December 2022 examined 88 cases, assessing demographics, cancer types, prescription locations, and meal intake changes. Anamorelin usage was predominant during chemotherapy, especially for pancreatic cancer in outpatient settings. Approximately 30% experienced increased meal intake. Chemotherapy-initiated cases had a longer median duration (55 days) compared with best supportive care only cases (12 days). Anamorelin demonstrated significant prescription patterns, particularly during chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer in outpatient settings, suggesting potential efficacy enhancements when administered with chemotherapy in cancer cachexia management. The study underscores the importance of tailored approaches to optimize anamorelin's therapeutic benefits.