Dexamethasone Treatment Options in Massachusetts

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one chemotherapy drug may kill more cancer cells. It is not yet known which combination chemotherapy regimen is more effective for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. PURPOSE: Phase III trial to determine the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy in treating children who have newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Read Less

This study will compare treatment with 3 courses of high-dose dexamethasone versus treatment with prednisone, for patients recently diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The primary hypothesis is that patients treated with high-dose dexamethasone will obtain a more durable remission than patients treated with prednisone. Read Less

The purpose of this research study is to determine if the combination of chemotherapy and hormone therapy is safe and helpful for patients who plan to have their high-risk prostate cancer surgically removed. Some physicians believe that patients with high risk cancer that is located in one area, may have an early but small spread of the cancer outside of the prostate, and perhaps even to distant organs. Therefore, better treatments for the entire body are needed to improve the ability of surgery or other local therapies to cure prostate cancer. Since chemotherapy is beginning to demonstrate increasing activity in advanced prostate cancer patients, it is possible that using chemotherapy combined with hormonal therapy earlier in the course of localized but high risk patients might improve the outcomes for these patients. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or acute lymphocytic leukemia. Read Less

A Phase 1, open-label, dose escalation, multi-center study in patients who have been diagnosed with multiple myeloma and who have relapsed or have refractory/relapsed disease after treatment with at least 2 prior therapies. Read Less

RATIONALE: Denileukin diftitox may be able to deliver cancer-killing substances directly to T-cell lymphoma cells. Dexamethasone may decrease the side effects of denileukin diftitox. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of dexamethasone in preventing side effects following treatment with denileukin diftitox in treating patients who have persistent or recurrent T-cell lymphoma. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to reduce the side-effects from anti-leukemia therapy. The therapy in this study is based upon treatment information learned from prior clinical research programs as well as from laboratory research. Read Less

People with sickle cell disease (SCD) may develop acute chest syndrome (ACS), which is a common and serious lung condition that usually requires hospitalization. Dexamethasone is a medication that may decrease hospitalization time for people with ACS, but it may also bring about new sickle cell pain. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a dexamethasone regimen that includes a gradual dose reduction at decreasing hospitalization and recovery time in people with SCD and ACS. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ocular iontophoresis with dexamethasone phosphate ophthalmic solution EGP-437 using the EyeGate® II Drug Delivery System (EGDS) compared to prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension (1%) in patients with non-infectious anterior segment uveitis. Read Less

Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of radiation therapy following chemotherapy in treating children with CNS relapse from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more cancer cells. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine if there is an improvement in progression-free survival (length of time during and after treatment in which a patient is living with a disease that does not get worse) when siltuximab is added to VELCADE and dexamethasone in subjects with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two multi-agent chemotherapy regimens using different dosages of cytarabine to eliminate all detectable leukemia. Read Less