Peritoneal Mesothelioma Is Not Very Common

Mesothelioma News

Pemetrexed May Be Helpful in the Treatment of Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Case Study Suggests

MISERICORDIA, IT — January 5, 2007 — An elderly patient with peritoneal mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that attacks the lining of the stomach, responded well to treatment with the chemotherapy drug pemetrexed (BMC Cancer, 2006 Dec 18; 6(1): 289). Pemetrexed works by inhibiting certain enzymes that are necessary for cancer cell growth. Sold as ALIMTA^® in the United States, pemetrexed is approved in combination with another chemotherapy drug to treat pleural mesothelioma, a more common form of mesothelioma that affects the membranes lining the lungs and chest. Asbestos exposure can cause both the peritoneal and pleural forms of mesothelioma.

A computed tomography or CT scan showed a large mass in the patient’s stomach area and lesions of up to 12 centimeters, but no evidence of pleural mesothelioma. Biopsy samples and biochemical analysis confirmed the diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma. The patient reported fatigue, weight loss and fever.

In August 2004, he began three–week treatment cycles using pemetrexed plus vitamin B12 and folic acid supplements. After two treatment cycles, his fever was reduced and the size of the abdominal mass and lesions decreased. After three more treatment cycles, mesothelioma tumors shrank further. After eight treatment cycles, the abdominal mass was not detectable upon a physical examination, the disease was minimal and the patient had gained back some weight. Treatment was stopped at this point. A follow–up exam one year later showed that stomach lesions had reappeared, so the patient was retreated with four pemetrexed cycles and his disease stabilized. On his last medical visit in February 2006, his mesothelioma was stable and had not advanced.

Another Pemetrexed Study on Peritoneal Mesothelioma Patients

In another study that took place in the United States, 1056 patients with mesothelioma were treated with pemetrexed or pemetrexed plus cisplatin, a standard platinum–based chemotherapy drug (Clin Lung Cancer, 2005 Jul; 7(1): 40–6). Among this group, 98 patients had the peritoneal form of mesothelioma. Over 71% of these peritoneal mesothelioma patients benefited from the treatment, as indicated by complete disappearance of some tumors, reduced tumor size or lack of progression of the disease.

In both the US and Italian studies, the side effects of pemetrexed treatment included nausea, vomiting and dehydration. In some cases, more serious problems occurred such as neutropenia (lowered, abnormal white blood cell count).

The Italian researchers suggested that more studies need to be done concerning the use of pemetrexed in treating peritoneal mesothelioma. They commented on the difficulty of having large clinical trials to test treatments since peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare tumor.

Your Mesothelioma Case

For further details about chemotherapy, see Mesothelioma Treatment: Chemotherapy and New Drug Research and Mesothelioma Treatment: Side Effects of Chemotherapy. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please feel free to contact us at Brayton Purcell to learn about your legal choices. We have been handling cases involving mesothelioma and asbestos exposure for over 20 years and can provide support, information, and excellent advocacy.