Who is eligible for clinical trial NCT03367156?

Participants must meet protocol criteria for Dyspnea. Confirm exact inclusion and exclusion requirements with the study coordinator.

Does clinical trial NCT03367156 provide travel or cost reimbursement?

Check with the site coordinator at the participating facility for travel and lodging stipend availability, and for which routine-care costs are covered.

🏛️ Verified NIH Record • Updated 2026-05-22

Dexamethasone in Controlling Dyspnea in Patients With Cancer (NCT03367156)

🔵 Active, Not Recruiting Phase2 💊 Investigational Drug / Biologic Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)

This phase II trial studies how well dexamethasone works in controlling dyspnea in patients with cancer. Dexamethasone may help control dyspnea (shortness of breath) and improve lung function and quality of life in cancer patients.

Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (6 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (18 items).

Location: Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital — Houston, Texas

📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener

Instant Checklist

Check every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).

Diagnosis of cancer.
Dyspnea with an average intensity \>= 4 on the dyspnea NRS (range 0-10) over the past week.
Radiologic suspicion of thoracic involvement, such as primary or metastatic lung cancer, lymphangitic carcinomatosis, airway infiltration, lymphadenopathy, pleural or chest wall invasion.
Seen at an outpatient clinic at MD Anderson Cancer Center or Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Hospital General Oncology Clinic.
Able to communicate in English or Spanish.
Karnofsky performance status \>= 30%.

Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:

Exclusion Criteria:
Delirium (i.e., score \> 13 on the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale; range 1-30).
Oxygen saturation \< 90% despite supplemental oxygen \> 6 L/minute.
Previous allergic reactions to dexamethasone.
Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus uncontrolled with oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin.
Postsurgical open wound that has not healed at the time of enrollment.
Any infection requiring antibiotics at the time of study enrollment.
Major surgery within the past 2 weeks.
Megestrol use at the time of study enrollment.
Neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count \< 1.0 x 10\^9/L) at the time of study enrollment (bloodwork is not required if patient did not have chemotherapy within past 2 weeks).
Currently receiving or expected to start cytotoxic chemotherapy or immunotherapy within 1 week of study enrollment and additional dexamethasone cannot be used concurrently as per attending oncologist.
Severe anemia (hemoglobin \< 8 g/L) not corrected prior to study enrollment (bloodwork is not required if patient did not have chemotherapy within past 2 weeks).

🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.

📍 All Participating Trial Locations (3 Sites)

Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital — Houston, Texas
Harris Health System Settegast Health Center — Houston, Texas
M D Anderson Cancer Center — Houston, Texas

💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights

100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.

🏛️ View Official NIH Record ↗