Gemcitabine Alone or With Other Malignant Mesothelioma Treatments

Mesothelioma News

Role of Gemcitabine in Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment Studied

March 15, 2002 — Medical researchers at the University of Chicago recently reviewed the role of gemcitabine in malignant mesothelioma treatment (Semin Oncol 2002 Feb; 29(1): 70–6). A chemotherapy agent, gemcitabine has demonstrated activity against mesothelioma cell lines “in vitro” (in test tubes and other artificial environments). The effect of using gemcitabine alone to treat malignant mesothelioma patients is unclear, however. In three separate clinical trials with a total of 60 patients, positive treatment response rates were 0%, 7%, and 31%.

The combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin shows increased activity against mesothelioma cells in vitro. One clinical trial of the combined agents in patients with malignant mesothelioma gave a positive treatment response rate of 48%. Later clinical trials produced positive response rates of 26% and 16%. (Also see Br J Cancer 2002 Feb 1; 86(3): 342 for a recent gemcitabine/cisplatin study in the Netherlands).

The University of Chicago researchers felt that additional mesothelioma studies should involve combining gemcitabine with other chemotherapy agents such as pemetrexed (ALIMTA^®) or vinorelbine. They also suggested combining gemcitabine with inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). A substance made by cells, VEGF stimulates new blood vessel formation. Increased VEGF levels have been associated with mesothelioma and other cancers.