Dexamethasone for brain tumors

Dexamethasone is used for brain tumors as one of the principles of treatment.
If a patient has signs of increased ICP on CT, and MRI reveals an intracranial formation with edema, then dexamethasone is prescribed without waiting for the results of histological examination.

Dexamethasone in brain oncology reduces perifocal edema, this leads to a partial reduction in focal symptoms and a decrease in ICP. In patients with brain tumors, symptoms of intracranial hypertension and focal disorders decrease within two days after dexamethasone therapy. After five days, patients show complete improvement.

But it is prohibited to prescribe it for a long period, as this can lead to complications: facial edema or proximal myopathy. It is recommended to gradually discontinue the drug over the course of a month. However, if the medication is abruptly discontinued, an increase in ICP with characteristic symptoms may be observed. In such cases, it is necessary to increase the dose of the medicine again.

The reaction to drug withdrawal may vary in intensity: in some people it is faster, in others it is slower.

Other treatments

• The use of osmotic agents. To urgently reduce ICP, mannitol is prescribed. The administration of the drug reduces the water content in the brain tissue.
• Radiation therapy .
  Recommended for patients with secondary brain tumors. Patients who may benefit from radiation therapy include those with radiosensitive tumors and multiple secondary tumor sites and those who benefit from dexamethasone.
• Surgical method. This method can be recommended for young patients if they have single metastases and in the absence of signs of an extensive tumor process.
• Chemotherapy . To carry out this method, drugs of natural origin, synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs, antibiotics, and antimetabolites are used. This method consists of using one or more drugs according to a regimen.
• Endoscopic intervention. Recommended for pathological diseases after traumatic brain injuries. The method avoids injury to nerves and blood vessels.