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This may eventually be used instead of Decadron for brain swelling.. without the bad side effects of steroids. The trial only showed a small improvement but may be worth trying to avoid those side effects
Corticorelin Acetate Has Steroid-Sparing Effect in Brain Cancer
February 06, 2013
(HealthDay News) – Corticorelin acetate (CrA) administration to patients with peritumoral brain edema (PBE) allows the reduction of steroid doses and is associated with reduced incidence and severity of steroid-induced myopathy and other steroid-related adverse effects, according to research published online Feb. 4 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Lawrence Recht, MD, of the Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, CA, and colleagues conducted a 12-week, prospective, randomized, double-blind study involving 200 patients with a malignant brain tumor and PBE who had been on a stable dose of dexamethasone. The safety and efficacy of CrA was compared with placebo.
The researchers observed a clinically important but not statistically significant difference in the percentage of responders to CrA compared with placebo (57% and 46%, respectively). However, the maximum percent reduction in dexamethasone dose was significantly higher for CrA-treated vs. placebo-treated patients (62.7% vs. 51.4%). Overall, patients who received CrA were less likely to develop Cushing's syndrome signs and also experienced improved steroid-induced myopathy.
"This is the first randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study demonstrating an agent's corticosteroid-sparing effect for PBE," the authors write. "CrA administration was not only effective in lowering corticosteroid dosage over a several-week period but also was associated with decreased corticosteroid adverse effects as demonstrated by an improvement in the natural history of corticosteroid-associated myopathy, Cushingoid signs and symptoms, blood glucose, and adrenal suppression."
Several authors disclosed financial ties to Celtic Pharma, manufacturer of corticorelin acetate.