Survival:8.0 months
Toxicity Grade:4
Treatments:Chemotherapy
Drugs:Pemetrexed
Country:Italy
City/State/Province:Torino
Hospital:University of Turin
Journal:Link
Date:4/2003
Description:
Patients: This Phase II study involved 64 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who had not had chemotherapy previously and who could not be cured by surgery alone.

Treatment: Patients were divided into two groups. “Supplemented Patients” comprised of 43 patients and “Non-Supplemented Patients” comprised of 21 patients. Supplemented patients received the drug Pemetrexed. In addition, folic acid and vitamin B12 was administered before and during Premetrexed administration to the supplemented patients. Non-supplemented patients just received Pemetrexed. (However, five of these 21 patients did receive folic acid and vitamin B12 after beginning Pemetrexed therapy.)

Toxicity: For non-supplemented patients, toxicities included grade 3-4 neutrophils, leukocytes, platelets, and bilirubin.

Results: Median overall survival for the non-supplemented patients was 8.0 months.

Correspondence: Giorgio Scagliotti, MD