Dexamethasone for Treatment of Radiation-related Fatigue in Patients Receiving RT for Head-neck and Lung Cancer

Subjects will randomly receive either dexamethasone or placebo and begin the study medication
during the midpoint of their radiation treatment. Study medication will be taken for 14
straight days then stopped. Fatigue and quality of life will be measured weekly with short
patient completed surveys. The number of breaks taken during radiation treatment will also be
tracked. For safety, blood sugar levels will be checked with finger stick blood draws because
dexamethasone is known to cause these levels to increase. Study participation will be
approximately 3 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

- confirmation of head & neck cancer (stage I-IV) or non-small cell lung cancer (stage
II & III)

- Undergoing treatment with either radiation alone or in combination with chemotherapy

- Normal cognition and willingness to complete fatigue and quality of life forms,
patient observation form, and pill diary

Exclusion Criteria:

- Hypersensitivity to dexamethasone or corticosteroids or Equal sugar substitute

- Corticosteroid within the past 30 days prior to study enrollment for greater than one
week duration

- Planned Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)

- Active psychosis

- Current pregnancy

- Active peptic ulcer disease or evidence of gastrointestinal bleed

- Current active tuberculosis or systemic fungal infection

- Previous diagnosis of diabetes mellitus

- Acute febrile illness

- Known human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

- Major surgery within two weeks of study enrollment of which the patient has not
recovered

- Psychostimulant use in the past 30 days prior to registration

- History of phenylketonuria (PKU)