Beatrice... I empathize with you. I call Decadron the 'drug from hell'...even tho' it does the job intended. It creates so many MORE problems.
Perhaps this info can lead to some help for you:
<<Trial Information
Summary: hCRF’s potential for steroid-sparing in symptomatic brain tumor patients with peritumoral edema.
If you have a malignant brain tumor and require chronic high doses of dexamethasone (also known as Decadron) to control your neurological symptoms, you may be eligible to participate in a study of XERECEPT™ for patients with brain tumors and tumor-associated swelling.
The purpose of this study is to compare the safety and efficacy of XERECEPT™ to dexamethasone, a common treatment for symptoms of brain swelling (edema). This study is specifically aimed at patients who require chronic high doses of dexamethasone to manage symptoms who may suffer from the steroid’s side effects.
Patients will be assigned by chance (like flipping a coin) to 1 of 2 treatment groups: XERECEPT™ or placebo.
A placebo is an inactive substance that looks like the study drug but has no medication treatment effect. The placebo is used in this study to help determine if the effects experienced by study patients are specific to XERECEPT™ or just the result of participating in a treatment setting.
If you participate in this study, you will:
Continue your dexamethasone, but gradually reduce your dose by 50% or more
Make 8 visits over 16 weeks to your study physician for physical and neurological evaluations
Administer hCRF (or its matching placebo) 2 times daily for 12 weeks by injection under the skin--the injections may alternatively be administered by somebody other than you whom you have chosen. The research nurse will teach you or the person you have chosen how to give the injections at home.
Take by mouth 1 tablet of niacin or its matching placebo twice daily
Call a toll-free phone number daily to record your dosing of study drugs
Inclusion Criteria:
Primary or metastatic malignant brain tumor
Steroid-associated side effect(s)
Taking dexamethasone for at least 30 days to control symptoms of edema.
Stable dexamethasone dose of 8-24 mg/day for at least 14 days prior to starting study
Karnofsky score of >= 50
Capable of self-administration of subcutaneous injections twice daily for 12 weeks, or availability of assistance from family/friend.
Life expectancy of at least 4 months
Ability to provide written informed consent or, if unable to provide, have a legal guardian or representative provide written informed consent
For women of childbearing potential: a negative serum pregnancy test
18 years of age or older.
Exclusion Criteria:
Need for surgery, radiosurgery or radiation therapy or new chemotherapeutic regime during the first 5 weeks of study. Treatment with pre-study chemotherapy may continue.
Concurrent enrollment in any other investigational drug or device study, or plan to enroll in such a study during the first 5 weeks of treatment.
Systemic steroid use for any indication other than peritumoral brain edema.
Use of dexamethasone to prevent vomiting. (Alternatives such as Compazine, Anzemet, Zofran and Kytril may be considered.)
Non-cooperation with dexamethasone or anticonvulsant therapy.
Cerebral herniation.
Serious cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, gastrointestinal or endocrine metabolic disease which would put the patient at unusual risk for study participation (Patients may receive gastrointestinal prophylactic treatment.)
Previous or current neurological disorders that would interfere with adequate clinical evaluation
Clinically significant head injury or chronic seizure disorder, if the condition results in functional impairment or is likely to interfere with evaluations (Maintenance anticonvulsant therapy is allowed.)
Central nervous system infection
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and/or refusal to practice birth control while in study, for women of childbearing potential
Any conditions that are considered contraindications for niacin, e.g. liver disease, active peptic ulcer, arterial hemorrhage, asthma and known hypersensitivity to niacin
For more information about this trial, go to:
http://www.ntii.com/products/clinicaltrials.shtml.
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center>>