(1) The Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA;(2) Section of Hematology/Oncology, Milwaukee County Medical Complex, 8700 W. Wisconsin Avenue, 53226 Milwaukee, WI, USA
Abstract:
Summary Hospital charts from 59 patients with intracranial malignancy or epidural spinal cord compression were reviewed to establish
the frequency of clinically important corticosteroid toxicities and to determine treatment or patient characteristics which
were predictive for toxicity. Thirty patients (51%) developed at least one steroid toxicity and eleven (19%) required hospital
admission for diagnosis and/or management of steroid-related complications. In this retrospective analysis the duration of
steroid therapy and the total administered dose predicted for toxicity. Patients with toxicity also had a significant fall
in the serum albumin level. Important corticosteroid toxicity occurs frequently in neuro-oncology patients. Further research
should be directed at developing non-toxic alternatives to corticosteroids.