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Study Confirms Usefulness of Pemetrexed (ALIMTA®) As Mesothelioma Treatment
CHICAGO, IL — June 15, 2007 — A study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology confirms earlier reports that the combination of pemetrexed plus a platinum compound is useful in treating mesothelioma. Pemetrexed is a chemotherapy drug that attacks cancer cells by inhibiting the synthesis of thymidine and purine, enzymes that are necessary for cell growth.
Platinum–containing drugs are standard chemotherapy treatments used to slow cancer cell division. Cisplatin and carboplatin are two of these medications.
In the study, mesothelioma patients received either pemetrexed plus cisplatin or pemetrexed plus carboplatin. Among 745 patients treated with the cisplatin combination, the positive response rate was 26.3%. For 752 patients taking pemetrexed/carboplatin, the positive response rate was 21.6%. One–year survival rates were similar for both groups—63.1% for pemetrexed/cisplatin and 64% for pemetrexed/carboplatin.
Although pemetrexed plus platinum compounds can improve quality of life and prolong survival, the medications do not cure mesothelioma. Also, some patients may experience side effects, including low white blood cell count, anemia and low blood platelet count. In this latest study, mesothelioma patients who took pemetrexed/carboplatin were somewhat more likely to develop these problems than were those who took pemetrexed/cisplatin.
Pemetrexed Is Sold As ALIMTA®
Pemetrexed is sold under the brand name ALIMTA® in the United States, where the combination of pemetrexed plus the platinum drug, cisplatin, is used to treat mesothelioma. ALIMTA®/cisplatin is given to patients who cannot withstand the rigors of cancer surgery.
The study was done at the Instituto Clinico Humanitas in Milan, Italy. It was sponsored by Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of ALIMTA®.
Your Mesothelioma Case
For further details about mesothelioma treatment, 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 24 years and can provide support, information, and excellent advocacy.
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