Call Now for a Free Consultation: 1-888-568-1177

Menu

1-888-568-1177

Chemotherapy – Cisplatin and Pemetrexed (Alimta)

On February 4, 2004 the Food and Drug Administration- FDA- approved cisplatin and pemetrexed also known as Alimta, for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma. Given In conjunction with oral folic acid, vitamin B12 injections, and corticosteroids to reduce skin rashes, it has been the standard of care for the past 14 years. It is the recommended first line treatment for malignant mesothelioma. As progress with research has taught, everyone’s cancer is specific to them, the response, the stage, the cell type, are all factors in the response to chemotherapy. The average life expectancy for patients that receive this treatment regime is 13.3 months, as compared to those who have no treatment. The overall survival time for no treatment is 4 months. Patients should be offered chemotherapy to improve the amount of time they have left, and to improve their quality of life.


 

Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles, which are usually 3-4 weeks with a rest period between cycles. Systemic chemotherapy is the most common way to deliver these drugs which is an infusion through a vein. Another way of administering chemotherapy drugs is immediately after the tumor has been removed surgically in the operating room, this is called either intrapleural chemotherapy (which is directly into the chest) or intraperitoneal (which is directly into the abdomen). Either of these drugs can be given heated, as the drugs have been found to have the most efficacy at killing microscopic cancer cells. This type of treatment is known as hyper thermic chemotherapy.

The recommended dose of pemetrexed is 500mg and is administered through an IV which takes 10 -15 minutes. If you are a candidate for cisplatin this is usually given within 30 minutes of the conclusion of the pemetrexed dose, which is infused over a few hours.

Cisplatin is a drug that is prescribed to mesothelioma patients which is not very effective alone, but coupled with pemetrexed/Alimta is known to be the chemotherapy agents that provide the most hope. The side effects can include damage to the kidneys, nausea, and loss of appetite, tiredness, hair loss, and increased risk of infection.

It is recommended that patients be offered clinical trials that include different chemotherapeutic medications. Some of the findings from clinical trials involving chemotherapeutic drugs and malignant mesothelioma over the past years have shown promise.

A French Clinical Trial referred to as the MAPS Trial has found that adding bevacizumab to this regime has improved both progression free survival and overall survival for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. The bevacizumab was administered on day one of each of 6 -21-day cycles, and then continued as maintenance every three weeks following completion of six cycles of chemotherapy.

Bevacizumab is not recommended for patients who have cardiovascular comorbidity, uncontrollable hypertension, older than 75, or have a bleeding or clotting risk. Patients have to be carefully chosen for this treatment regime. The regimes addition of bevacizumab increased both progression free and overall survival. It is now the standard of care in France. It has not yet been approved by the FDA in the United States.

Another chemotherapeutic agent Raltitrexed used in combination with cisplatin has been found to help overall survival versus cisplatin alone. Raltitrexed is not commercially available in the United States.

Other regimes combinations have been tried with Cisplatin including anthrancyclines (doxorubin, epirubicin) combination of fluorouracil, mitomycin, plus etoposide, and combination of methotrexate plus vinblastine – none have been found to be as effective as the combinations of cisplatin plus pemetrexed or gemcitabine.

No new regimes have been approved since 2004. Research for better chemotherapeutic options is ongoing. In addition ongoing research into immunotherapy is also showing some promising results.

Explore clinical trials – the results could improve your life and your time on this earth!
 

Learn More About Mesothelioma

 

Asbestos Exposure Information

 

Did You Know?

  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    The highest award of compensatory damages ever upheld on appeal in a mesothelioma case is $30.3 million.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    The largest punitive damages verdict ever upheld on appeal in a mesothelioma case is $18 million.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    There are over $30 billion in asbestos trust funds to compensate victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    There are more than 50 bankruptcy trusts accepting claims to compensate victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    There are many “asbestos dockets” that permit living mesothelioma patients to obtain a jury verdict in less than 1 year.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    In 2015, more than 2000 mesothelioma cases were filed in the United States.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    In some mesothelioma cases, settlements can be obtained in less than 1 year.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    Thousands of different companies have been defendants in mesothelioma cases over the past 40 years.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    According to a 2015 study of 77 peritoneal mesothelioma cases, the average life expectancy (median survival period) was 75.7 months, or over 6 years.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    According to a 2015 study of 77 peritoneal mesothelioma patients, 73.8% were living after 3 years, and 65.3% were living after 5 years.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    According to a 2015 study of 77 peritoneal mesothelioma patients, 64% were treated with HIPEC and cytoreductive surgery.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    According to a 2015 study of 303 pleural mesothelioma patients, the average life expectancy (median survival period) was 18.4 months.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    According to a 2015 study of pleural mesothelioma patients, 73.1% were still living after 1 year, and 22.9% were still living after 3 years.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    In 2015, the largest number of mesothelioma cases were filed in the following 10 courts: (1) Madison County, IL; (2) Cook County, IL; (3) St. Louis, MO; (4) Los Angeles, CA; (5) New York, NY; (6) Philadelphia, PA; (7) New Castle County, DE; (8) Middlesex County, MA; (9)Middlesex County, NJ; (10) Kanawha County, WV.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    The states with the largest number of diagnosed mesothelioma cases are: New York, New Jersey, California, Washington, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    There are about 3000 mesothelioma cases diagnosed in the United States each year.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    About 1 in 100,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with mesothelioma each year in the United States.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    More than 80% of all mesothelioma cases occur in the pleura (pleural mesothelioma).
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    Less than 20% of all mesothelioma cases occur in the peritoneum (peritoneal mesothelioma).
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    About 22% of all mesothelioma cases occur in women.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    A history of asbestos exposure can be found in more than 80% of mesothelioma cases.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    More than 30% of all mesothelioma patients in the United States were exposed to asbestos in the military.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma can be caused by laundering, or other household contact with, work clothing contaminated with asbestos.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma can be caused by work with (direct exposure) or around (bystander exposure) asbestos-containing products.
  • Mesothelioma Facts
    Mesothelioma Facts
    The average time between a person’s first exposure to asbestos and the development of mesothelioma (latency period) is more than 40 years.
 

Get Help from Experienced Mesothelioma Nurses

Learn more about these experienced mesothelioma nurses by watching the video below. Click here to contact a mesothelioma nurse now.

 

Learn More About MesoLawyersCare

Watch the video below to learn why MesoLawyersCare is the best choice to represent you and your family after a mesothelioma diagnosis.

 

Contact MesoLawyersCare Now

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, please contact us to see if we can help you get the compensation you deserve from the billions of dollars in asbestos trust funds available now for qualified asbestos victims. With just one call, you can put all our experience and success to work for you.

We have represented thousands of victims of mesothelioma and their families in virtually every State in the country and in decades of work have recovered billions of dollars in financial compensation for our clients.

Call us now at 1-888-568-1177, fill out the form on this page or chat with a live person. The consultation is free and it costs nothing upfront to hire the lawyers behind MesoLawyersCare. We only get paid if you collect a settlement or verdict and you will never receive a bill from us.

 

More - Experience, Resources, Offices, Success

The call and consultation are free.

Let us help you.

Call Now for a Free Consultation: 1-888-568-1177