Glucocorticoids have been widely used in reducing the oedema associated with brain tumours and post-operative pain. In vitro, they have been shown to inhibit growth of several different cell types, for example lung tumours and gliomas. Glucocorticoids have also been found to encourage immature malignant glioma cells to differentiate. This was measured by a reduction in immature properties, such as plasminogen activator activity, and the appearance of differentiated characteristics, such as glutamine synthetase activity
