Adverse Metabolic Effects on Glucose in Patients Receiving Anamorelin Using a Japanese Claims Database.

Background: Anamorelin is the first drug approved for the treatment of cancer cachexia, a debilitating condition characterized by weight loss, anorexia, and muscle mass depletion. Cachexia negatively affects a patient's quality of life, survival, and response to chemotherapy. Studies describing anamorelin use are currently limited to a small number of pancreatic cancer cases.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the incidence and risk factors of adverse metabolic effects on glucose levels in cachexia patients with various carcinomas treated with anamorelin.

Method: We used real-world data of patients who received anamorelin between August 2021 and July 2022 and were registered in the JMDC claims database. We investigated the impact of metabolic adverse effects on glucose in patients receiving anamorelin with respect to the following factors: sex (male), age (>75 years), types of carcinoma, history of diabetes mellitus (DM), and concomitant use of steroids.

Results: The incidence of adverse metabolic effects on glucose was 12.3%, and pancreatic cancer and history of DM were associated with adverse metabolic effects on glucose. The median onset of adverse metabolic effects on glucose was 17 days after anamorelin treatment.

Conclusions: This study highlights the need to monitor and manage hyperglycemia in cachexia patients receiving anamorelin, especially in those with pancreatic cancer and a history of DM.