← Back to Clinical Trials
Recruiting NCT04266977

NCT04266977 Restrictive Use of Dexamethasone in Glioblastoma

◆ AI Clinical Summary
Plain-language summary for patients
Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT04266977
Status Recruiting
Phase
Sponsor Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern
Condition Glioblastoma
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 50 participants
Start Date 2020-05-08
Primary Completion 2027-04

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 18 Years
Max Age 90 Years
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Interventions
Dexamethasone

Eligibility Fast-Check

Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.

What to Expect as a Participant

You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.

This trial targets 50 participants in total. It began in 2020-05-08 with a primary completion date of 2027-04.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

The administration of steroids, most commonly dexamethasone (DEX), has established as standard of care during treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) and is widely used during the entire course of the disease including pre- and postoperative management, chemo- and radiotherapy. The primary purpose is to reduce tumor-associated vasogenic edema and to prevent or treat increased intracranial pressure. However, steroids are also linked to a multitude of adverse side effects that may affect survival of GBM patients such as major immunosuppression. The use of steroids during radiotherapy is associated with reduced overall- and progression-free survival and has been identified as an independent poor prognostic factor. Despite these findings, the suspicion of GBM often triggers the administration of DEX in routine clinical practice, regardless of neurological symptoms, tumor size, or extension of cerebral edema. The purpose of this study is to assess whether selected GBM patients can be treated safely with a restrictive DEX regimen from referral to the neurosurgical center until discharge. The primary objective is to determine the failure rate of a restrictive DEX regimen defined as edema or mass effect leading to any of the following: GCS deterioration ≥ 2 points, NIHSS increase ≥ 3 points, increase of midline Shift ≥ 2mm, or any surgical rescue procedure for increasing mass effect.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Newly diagnosed supratentorial contrast enhancing lesion suspicious of glioblastoma without major mass effect, amenable to surgical resection * Age 18 - 90 years * Midline Shift ≤ 3mm * GCS ≥ 14 * NIHSS ≤ 3 * Provided written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Infratentorial lesions, brainstem lesions, multifocal lesions * Therapy with steroids for \>1 day before inclusion * Need for treatment with steroids due to any other disease * Contraindications to the administration of Dexamethasone * Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

Johannes Goldberg, MD

✉ johannes.goldberg@insel.ch

📞 +41316322409

Principal Investigator

Andreas Raabe, MD

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Inselspital Bern, Department of Neurosurgery

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT04266977 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 90 Years, studying Glioblastoma. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

Is NCT04266977 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT04266977 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at johannes.goldberg@insel.ch for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT04266977 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at Sankt Gallen, Switzerland, Basel, Switzerland, Bern, Switzerland, Zurich, Switzerland.

Who is sponsoring the NCT04266977 clinical trial?

NCT04266977 is sponsored by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern. The principal investigator is Andreas Raabe, MD at Inselspital Bern, Department of Neurosurgery. The trial plans to enroll 50 participants.

Related Trials

Related Intelligence Guides

In-depth guides covering this condition's trials, eligibility, and what to expect.

ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: July 2026  ·  Data Methodology