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Combination of Pemetrexed and Cisplatin Improves the Survival Rate of Mesothelioma Patients
Wirral, UK — February 16, 2007 — Researchers reviewing a study of 448 mesothelioma patients in 20 treatment centers found that pemetrexed used in combination with cisplatin improves their length of survival. In the clinical trial, mesothelioma patients who received the combination treatment survived an average of 2.8 months longer than those taking cisplatin alone. “Pemetrexed used in combination with cisplatin significantly increases the length of survival, when compared with cisplatin alone,” the researchers said (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD005574. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD005574.pub2).
John Green, M.D., of the Clatterbridge Center for Oncology in England, led the research team that reviewed the study. The treatment centers involved in the study were located in Europe, the Americas, Australia and Asia. The patients all had advanced mesothelioma and were either treated with cisplatin alone or cisplatin and pemetrexed. Those receiving both cisplatin and pemetrexed were also given folic acid and vitamin B12 to lessen the side effects of the pemetrexed. The average age of patients was 61 and 81% were men.
Pemetrexed is a chemotherapy drug marketed under the brand name of ALIMTA®. In the United States and the UK, the combination of pemetrexed plus cisplatin has been approved to treat pleural mesothelioma in those patients who cannot undergo the rigors of mesothelioma surgery. No other chemotherapy drugs have been approved specifically for the treatment of mesothelioma. Mesothelioma patients taking the two drugs experienced improvement in the quality of their lives. They reported a decrease in their symptoms including pain, cough, fatigue and loss of appetite.
Taking pemetrexed may have serious side effects including nausea, diarrhea, and blood cell abnormalities. The addition of folic acid and vitamin B12 appears to decrease the incidence and severity of side effects. “It is a personal matter as to whether the survival increase for patients receiving the two drugs is worthwhile,” said Daniel Baram, M.D., a pulmonologist at the Lung Cancer Evaluation Center, State University of New York,“... many, if not most, patients when faced with a disease with a very bad prognosis are often willing to undergo aggressive therapy, although the toxicity is serious and potentially life–threatening.” (Health Behavior News Service 2007)
Mesothelioma Caused by Exposure to Asbestos
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer where malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body’s internal organs such as the lungs, abdomen, and heart. The most common cause of this rare cancer is exposure to asbestos fibers either through occupational or environmental exposure. Those employed in the shipbuilding, construction work, railway engineering or asbestos manufacturing trades run a higher risk of developing mesothelioma than those in other occupations. Family members of those who work with or around asbestos also run the risk of developing mesothelioma through asbestos fibers carried home on clothing. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 10 to 15 percent of schools and other public buildings contain asbestos.
In the USA, peak mesothelioma incidence occurred in the early to mid–1990s and has likely started to decline since then. Worldwide, it is projected that there will be 65,000 deaths due to mesothelioma between 2001 and 2050. There is a time lag of 10 to 60 years between exposure to asbestos and development of mesothelioma. Dr. Green stated that mesothelioma was difficult to diagnose because “there is a lag of many years between exposure and asbestosis, which is a nonmalignant condition, and a greater lag before the development of overt malignancy.”
Mesothelioma and Your Legal Rights
For further details about mesothelioma treatment, see Pleural Mesothelioma: Choosing a Treatment that Is Right for You. Also see Pemetrexed (ALIMTA®): A Promising Mesothelioma Treatment. 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.
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