Dexamethasone dosing after brain tumor surgery
Official title: Post-Operative Dosing of Steroids Post Craniotomy for Brain Tumor (PODS)
Run by Emory University · NCT06132685 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing if a lower dose of dexamethasone after brain tumor surgery can help reduce side effects for patients compared to the usual dose.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 2 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Emory University Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | adalimumab, infliximab, methotrexate |
| Locations | 1 site (Atlanta, Georgia) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 9, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 30, 2027 |
| Study ends | July 30, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | February 10, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06132685 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older with radiographic findings consistent with high-grade glioma, low-grade glioma, meningioma, or brain metastasis.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with known hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction or those currently taking immunosuppressive drugs may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This phase II trial evaluates the effects of tapering doses of dexamethasone on reducing steroid side effects in patients who have undergone craniotomy for brain tumors. The study compares a reduced dosage steroid schedule (RDS) with a normal dosing schedule (NDS) to assess efficacy and safety. Patients will be randomized into two arms, with one group receiving the standard tapering doses and the other receiving a reduced tapering schedule. The trial also includes assessments of length of hospital stay, readmission rates, and side effects related to steroid use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could minimize steroid-related side effects while effectively managing post-operative edema in brain tumor patients.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have explored steroid dosing in post-operative settings, but this specific tapering approach is novel and untested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with radiographic findings consistent with either HGG, LGG, Meningioma, or brain metastasis * Age equal to or above 18 Exclusion Criteria: * Known hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction * Tumor causing compression of the sella or pituitary dysfunction * Known immunodeficiency - including but not limited to severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), lymphocytopenia * Taking immunosuppressive drugs - including but not limited to methotrexate, mycophenolate, rapamycin, tacrolimus, adalimumab, infliximab. Greater than two weeks of recent daily corticosteroid use or the use of corticosteroids equivalent to \> 85 mg of dexamethasone in the last month * Current lymphoma or leukemia * History of solid organ transplant * Minors \< 18 * Pregnant women * History of cerebrovascular accident leading to neurologic deficit
Where it's running
-
Emory University Hospital/Winship Cancer Institute
Atlanta, Georgia, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Kimberly Hoang, MD — Emory University Hospital/Winship Cancer Institute
- Study coordinator: Kimberly Hoang, MD
- Email: kbhoang@emory.edu
- Phone: 404-778-5770
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Home-based self-management and cognitive training for brain tumor survivors
This trial will try a home-based cognitive coaching program to see if it improves thinking and quality of life for adults who survived non-glioblastoma brain tumors, with optional caregiver participation.
-
Imaging brain tumors using a targeted radioimmunoconjugate and PET scans
This study is testing a new imaging method using a special drug to see if it can help identify immune cells in patients with brain tumors before they have surgery.
-
Combination therapy with IN10018 and dalpiciclib for progressive meningioma
This phase 1 study tests whether taking IN10018 with dalpiciclib is safe and tolerable in adults with growing meningiomas to see if the combo can help control the tumor.
-
Low-grade gliomas in Argentina: Incidence, survival, and treatment patterns
This study tests how common low-grade gliomas are in Argentina and how long patients live after diagnosis, using two groups from Buenos Aires and Córdoba.
-
JZP3507 (ONC206) for recurrent Grade 2/3 meningioma
A pill-based therapy (JZP3507) is being tested to see if it can help adults with recurrent grade 2 or 3 meningioma who have not benefited from standard treatments.
-
Laser thermal therapy for young people with low-grade glioma
This research will test whether laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) can stop or slow recurrent or progressive low-grade gliomas in children, adolescents, and young adults.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.