decadron

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Decadron

Decadron is a steroid and comes in Intravenous as well as oral tablets. Intravenous form is used for immediate action. Tablets are used to maintain the effect. Decadron is used in a variety of situations in cancer patients:

Anti Nausea and Vomiting: Intravenous Decadron is used prior to chemotherapy, normally along with Zofran, or other anti-nausea medicines.

Anti-inflammatory: Decadron is also used in patients who suffer from Brain Metastasis or Spinal cord compression. In these situations, Decadron reduces the swelling of the normal tissues around the cancer site and helps in controlling the symptoms. Same effect is also seen in patients with Superior Vena Cava syndrome as well as in patients with Head and Neck cancers who have difficulty breathing.

Anticancer effect: Decadron is an active drug and a major part of treatment regimes ABVD and VAD used in management of certain cancers such as Hodgkin's Disease and Multiple Myeloma. Decadron by itself is a very active drug in management of Multiple Myeloma.

Side effects:

Side effect profile of Decadron is almost the same as other steroids. The degree and severity of the side effects depend on the amount and schedule of the administration of steroids. Following are some of the most common and important ill effects that are most seen with the long-term use of steroids. If used for a short period of time, they are normally well tolerated.

Irritation of stomach, stomach ulcer. Most steroids are given with an anti-ulcer medicine.

High blood sugar

High blood pressure

Osteoporosis

Fluid retention

It is imperative that patients relay any side effects or problems to their medical oncologists

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