Oral amino acids and testosterone therapy to improve muscle mass and quality of life during chemotherapy in recurrent cervical cancer: A case study

Abstract

Muscle wasting is by far the most important phenotypic feature of cancer cachexia, though little success has been achieved toward reversing or preventing this catabolic process. Anabolic interventions including testosterone and amino acid supplements may be beneficial in reducing and/or reversing muscle wasting in these patient populations.A 48‐year‐old recurrent cervical cancer patient was scheduled to receive three 21‐day cycles of cisplatin and topotecan chemotherapy. She consented to a 10 week blinded interventional pilot study were she received daily amino acid supplements and weekly injections of testosterone enanthate before and during the weeks of chemotherapy treatment. Blood, Dual Energy X‐ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scans, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy ‐ General (FACT‐G) questionnaire data were collected before and after the 10 week period.Total serum testosterone concentrations, total and trunk lean body mass, and body weight increased after 10 weeks. Total and trunk fat mass decreased. FACT‐G scores improved.Concomitant treatment of oral amino acids and testosterone may be a viable therapeutic option for fighting cachexia and improving quality of life during chemotherapeutic treatment of recurrent cervical cancer. A double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled interventional study is in progress (NCT00878995).Funding through NIH/NCI RO1 CA127971 and T32 CA117834.