Dexamethasone Treatment Options in New York

The purpose of this open-label, non-randomized trial is to assess the safety and effectiveness of PXD101, both alone and in combination with dexamethasone, in patients with advanced multiple myeloma. PXD101 is a new, potent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. Various members of this class of drugs have shown activity in preclinical studies and in initial clinical trials of multiple myeloma and lymphoma. Furthermore, HDAC inhibitors, including PXD101, have been shown to sensitize myeloma cells to the killing effect of other chemotherapeutic agents, including dexamethasone, a well-established agent in relapsing myeloma. Read Less

This randomized phase III trial compares bortezomib, dexamethasone, and lenalidomide with bortezomib and dexamethasone to see how well they work in treating patients with multiple myeloma previously treated with dexamethasone. Bortezomib may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as dexamethasone, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Lenalidomide may stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop cancer cells from growing. It is not yet known whether giving bortezomib and dexamethasone is more effective with or without lenalidomide in treating multiple myeloma. Read Less

An epiretinal membrane is scar tissue on the retina that can cause blurring and distortion of vision and lead to swelling, or macular edema. Despite surgery to remove the scar tissue(membrane peeling), residual swelling of the retina may continue to interfere with vision. In this study the investigators will inject an implantable steroid device into the back, fluid-filled portion of the eye. Steroids have been found to decrease the swelling in the retina. Ozurdex™ is an implantable steroid. Once implanted, Ozurdex™ is slowly dissolved by the vitreous gel that fills the eye, releasing the steroid. The steroid drug delivery system in this study, known as Ozurdex™ has been FDA-approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for decreasing swelling due to another condition in the eye. This study will help to find out whether or not this device Ozurdex™ is also effective for reducing the swelling of the retina in patients who have already had surgery to remove scar tissue on the retina. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Colony-stimulating factors such as sargramostim may increase the number of immune cells found in bone marrow or peripheral blood and may help a person's immune system recover from the side effects of chemotherapy. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combining phenylbutyrate, dexamethasone, and sargramostim in treating patients who have refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia. Read Less

Neutropenia, a condition characterized by an abnormally low number of infection-fighting white blood cells called neutrophils, commonly develops in people who have undergone chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation. The severely reduced immunity of those with neutropenia can put them at risk of entry of life-threatening infections, making the implementation of treatments that increase white blood cell numbers important. Several studies have shown that the transfusion of donor granulocytes, a type of white blood cell that includes neutrophils, is effective in promoting the recovery of adequate numbers of granulocytes. However, granulocyte transfusions can cause side effects, and it is not known whether the success of the therapy outweighs the health risks of the side effects. This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of granulocyte transfusions in treating people with a bacterial or fungal infection during neutropenia. Read Less

This study was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of different dosages and administration schedules of an investigational agent administered over 3 days when added to standard therapy used in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. Subjects will be asked to complete daily diaries while on study medication. In addition subjects will be required to return to the investigational site several times during the course of the study for follow up safety assessments which may include blood samples for hematology and chemistry evaluations as well as physical exams. A final assessment will be preformed on study Day 20-30 at which time the subject will complete the study. Read Less

This phase II trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy together with alemtuzumab works in treating patients with relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies, such as alemtuzumab, can block cancer growth in different ways. Some block the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Others find cancer cells and help kill them or carry cancer-killing substances to them. Giving combination chemotherapy together with alemtuzumab may kill more cancer cells. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine if subjects who receive Palonosetron plus Dexamethasone have less post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) than those who receive Palonosetron alone. Read Less

RATIONALE: Chemotherapy plus interferon alfa may be effective for primary systemic amyloidosis. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of dexamethasone plus interferon alfa in treating patients who have primary systemic amyloidosis. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Thalidomide may stop the growth of tumor cells by stopping blood flow to the tumor. It is not yet known if combination chemotherapy is more effective with or without thalidomide for multiple myeloma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy with or without thalidomide in treating patients who have refractory multiple myeloma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage cancer cells. Combining chemotherapy and radiation therapy with peripheral stem cell transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and kill more cancer cells. It is not yet known which treatment regimen is more effective for multiple myeloma. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of melphalan, total-body irradiation, and peripheral stem cell transplantation with that of combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have previously untreated multiple myeloma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop cancer cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining chemotherapy with bone marrow transplantation may allow the doctor to give higher doses of chemotherapy drugs and kill more cancer cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy with or without bone marrow transplantation in treating patients who have acute lymphocytic leukemia. Read Less