Effect of large doses of methylprednisolone on supratentorial intracranial tumors. A clinical and CAT scan evaluation.

We studied the action of high doses (500 mg/daily for 7 days) of methylprednisolone sodium succinate in 12 patients with supratentorial intracranial tumors. 10 tumors were malignant (5 gliomas and 5 metastases), and 2 benign (meningiomas). Clinical improvement ranged from moderate to marked after 24-48 h of therapy. In the 5 metastases, mean reduction of peritumoral edema was 27%, and in apparent tumor volume was 18%; in the gliomas, corresponding reductions were 31 and 15%. 1 of the meningioma cases showed a decrease in edema volume of 21%. These results indicate that methylprednisolone, at least for a short period of time, produces a definite decrease in apparent tumor size, in addition to the reduction of peritumoral edema.