Dexamethasone Treatment Options in Massachusetts

Carfilzomib is a drug that has shown anti-tumor activity by inhibiting the proteasome within the cell, which is responsible for degrading or breaking down a wide variety of proteins. Carfilzomib has not been approved by the FDA. Rituximab and dexamethasone are often used to treat Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia (WM), alone or in combination with other drugs. Combinations with rituximab, dexamethasone and proteasome inhibitors, like carfilzomib, show high levels of activity in WM patients. In this research study, the investigators are testing the safety and efficacy of Carfilzomib when used along with Rituximab and Dexamethasone as a possible treatment for Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia. Read Less

This research study is a Phase II clinical trial. Phase II clinical trials test the effectiveness of an investigational combination of drugs. The purpose is to learn whether the combination of drugs works in treating a specific cancer. "Investigational" means that the combination of drugs is still being studied. It also means that research doctors are trying to find out more about it. Examples of what they want to learn about are the safest dose to use, the side effects it may cause, and if the combination of drugs works for treating different types of cancer. Read Less

Although anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy is generally effective as treatment for center-involved diabetic macular edema (DME), a substantial proportion of anti-VEGF-treated eyes with DME do not achieve vision of 20/20 or complete resolution of retinal thickening. Indeed, over 50% of ranibizumab-treated eyes did not achieve a 2 or more line improvement in visual acuity from baseline at 2 years in Protocol I, a previous DRCR.net (Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network) study. Furthermore, 27% of ranibizumab-treated eyes still had central subfield (CSF) thickness on time-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) ≥ 300 at 1 year, and more than 40% of ranibizumab-treated eyes did not achieve complete resolution of retinal thickening (\< 250 microns) by 2 years. Thus, there is a need for alternative or additional treatments that will improve vision by reducing retinal edema in eyes with persistent DME following previous anti-VEGF therapy. Intravitreal steroid is not as efficacious as ranibizumab in eyes with DME overall, but it has been shown to have a positive effect for DME in some eyes and might add benefit in eyes that are already receiving anti-VEGF. The main objective of this study is to assess the short-term effects of combination steroid+anti-VEGF therapy on visual acuity and retinal thickness on OCT in comparison with that of continued anti-VEGF therapy alone in eyes with persistent central-involved DME and visual acuity impairment despite previous anti-VEGF treatment. This study will provide important information for the design of a future confirmatory phase III clinical trial on the efficacy of combination steroid and anti-VEGF in eyes with persistent DME and vision impairment following previous anti-VEGF therapy. The primary outcome for efficacy will be the mean change in visual acuity at 24 weeks. Each study eye is required to complete a 12-week run-in phase. The run-in phase will identify study eyes that truly have persistent DME despite anti-VEGF therapy by requiring an additional 3 injections while also collecting standardized visual acuity and OCT measurements. At the enrollment, 4-week and 8-week visits of the run-in phase, enrolled eyes will receive an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab 3mg. Then at the 12-week run-in visit, if the eye still has persistent DME, it will be randomized to receive either intravitreal sham+intravitreal ranibizumab 0.3 or intravitreal dexamethasone+intravitreal ranibizumab 0.3 injections. The randomized study duration is 24 week, during which a protocol visit takes place every month. The combination injections of sham+ranibizumab or dexamethasone +ranibizumab will be given at the randomization visit (baseline) and at the 12-week visit after randomization. In between, an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab only will be given to study eyes at the 4, 8, 16 and 20 week visits. Read Less

Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks are increasingly being performed after abdominal surgery to provide post operative analgesia. Dexamethasone has demonstrated an ability to prolong the effective duration of analgesia in several different peripheral nerve blocks. The study will examine, in a blinded, prospective and randomized fashion, whether the addition of dexamethasone to TAP blocks similarly prolongs blockade and pain relief. The study will compare local anesthetic with and without the addition of dexamethasone in the TAP block. Read Less

Otolaryngologists routinely administer ear drops at the time of tympanostomy tube placement in order to prevent tube otorrhea; however, there is a lack of consensus as to which drops are the most effective, and whether a post-operative regimen should be used. Utilizing drops postoperatively places the onus of administration on parents who may have various difficulties in delivering the drops to their child's ears. Additionally, prescribing drops postoperatively is a health care cost. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a difference in prevention of tympanostomy tube failure (defined as tube blockage or otorrhea) between Otiprio administered once intraoperatively, Ciprodex otic dropgs administered once intraoperatively, and Ciprodex otic drops administered intraoperatively with a postoperative course. Read Less

This research study is studying a combination of targeted therapies as a possible treatment for multiple myeloma (MM). The drugs involved in this study are: * Elotuzumab * Nivolumab * Pomalidomide * Dexamethasone Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy such as melphalan work in different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining chemotherapy with donor peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving melphalan together with autologous stem cell transplantation works in treating patients with multiple myeloma or primary systemic amyloidosis. Read Less

The purpose of the study is to determine whether the addition of Elotuzumab to Bortezomib/ Dexamethasone will prolong the time before myeloma worsens \[progression free survival (PFS)\]. Read Less

Establishment of safety profile of HuMax-CD38 when given as monotherapy in participants with multiple myeloma relapsed from or refractory to at least 2 different cytoreductive therapies and without further established treatment options. Read Less

The purpose of Phase 1 of this study was to determine the safety, tolerability, maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) of oral ixazomib administered in combination with lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone in participants with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). The purpose of Phase 2 of this study was to determine the overall response rate (ORR) and further evaluate the tolerability and toxicity of the combination of oral ixazomib, lenalidomide, and low-dose dexamethasone in patients with NDMM. Read Less

To assess the safety and effectiveness of adventitial deposition of the Study Drug in reducing inflammation and restenosis in patients with clinical evidence of claudication or critical limb ischemia and an angiographically significant lesion in the superficial femoral and/or popliteal arteries. Study Drug and Dose: Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection, USP, 4 mg/ml, with dilute contrast (17%) administered to the adventitia in a dose of 1.6 mg per cm of desired vessel treatment length. Read Less

This is a phase 2 study of perifosine in patients with multiple myeloma. Patients will receive perifosine 150 mg at bedtime (qhs) daily. Patients will be assessed by serum and/or urine-electrophoresis at least every 3 weeks. Read Less