New chemotherapy regimens improve response to malignant pleural mesothelioma
Respiratory Therapeutics Week
April 28, 2003
Malignant pleural mesothelioma treatments are improving in response rates,
although none to date are satisfactory.
According to a study from Austria, "This review summarizes the results of previously conducted clinical trials, and subsequently presents data arising from all phase II-III studies on chemotherapy of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) published since the last relevant overview.
"While response rates exceeding 30% have barely been achieved with established cytotoxic drugs in MPM therapy, novel chemotherapeutic agents and their combinations appear more promising. This applies especially to the anti-metabolites, and in particular to pemetrexed, that produced response rates of up to 45% in combination with platinum compounds. Raltitrexed combined with oxaliplatin has also been shown to be effective, and gemcitabine applied as a single agent or in combination with cisplatin, as well as vinorelbine, appear to improve the quality of life in patients presenting with MPM.
"Data can now be more precisely analyzed by increasingly implemented randomized studies, applying a standardized staging system, and distinguishing prognostic groups. While chemotherapy for MPM remains a challenging task, important steps have clearly been made in the past years to combat this aggressive disease," wrote S. Tomek and colleagues.
The researchers concluded: "The publication of pemetrexed with cisplatin phase III results in a peer-reviewed journal may soon establish a standard of care."
Tomek and colleagues published their study in British Journal of Cancer (Chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma: past results and recent developments. Br J Cancer, 2003;88(2):167-174).
For more information, contact S. Tomek, University Hospital Vienna, Department Med 1, Division Clinical Oncology, Waehringer Str 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
Publisher contact information for the British Journal of Cancer is: Nature Publishing Group, Macmillan Building, 4 Crinan St., London N1 9XW, UK.
The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Lung Cancer, Oncology and Chemotherapy.
