Effect of dexamethasone on dyspnea in patients with cancer

Systemic corticosteroids are commonly prescribed for palliation of dyspnea in patients with cancer, despite scarce evidence to support their use. The randomized Alleviating Breathlessness in Cancer Patients with Dexamethasone (ABCD) trial, at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Lyndon B Johnson General Hospital (both in Houston, TX) found that high-dose dexamethasone did not improve dyspnea in patients with cancer more effectively than placebo and was associated with a higher frequency of adverse events. The authors conclude that dexamethasone should not be routinely given to unselected patients with cancer for palliation of dyspnea.