Predicting Kidney Damage from Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma
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Predicting Kidney Damage from Chemotherapy for Mesothelioma

ByAlex Strauss

It may be possible to predict which mesothelioma patients are at risk for kidney damage from chemotherapy and take steps to prevent it.  Japanese cancer researchers have linked a protein called megalin to cisplatin-related nephrotoxicity.  Cisplatin is one of the main drugs used to treat mesothelioma. The researchers say people with more megalin in their urine are more likely to have kidney damage from chemotherapy with cisplatin.  Kidney Damage is a Risk of Chemotherapy Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer with no cure. Although scientists are working on other options, chemotherapy is the main treatment for mesothelioma. Most patients have a combination of Alimta (pemetrexed) and the platinum-based drug cisplatin. One of the biggest risks with cisplatin is kidney damage…

Patients with Impaired Kidneys Could Still Take Alimta for Mesothelioma, Study Finds
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Patients with Impaired Kidneys Could Still Take Alimta for Mesothelioma, Study Finds

ByAlex Strauss

New research in the Netherlands suggests that patients who would not normally be prescribed Alimta for mesothelioma could still benefit from the gold standard mesothelioma treatment. The key is an alternate dosing strategy. Alimta is a powerful drug that works by blocking a molecule needed for cell replication. Right now, doctors do not recommend Alimta for mesothelioma in people with poor kidney function. But Dutch pharmacology experts now say it is possible to adjust the dosing to make Alimta safer for these mesothelioma patients. Alimta for Mesothelioma: Proper Dosing is Key The FDA approved Alimta for mesothelioma in 2004. Alimta (pemetrexed) is still the only drug approved for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma. It has also been approved to treat…