Chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma: past results and recent developments

This review summarises 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 ach...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of cancer 2003-01, Vol.88 (2), p.167-174
Main Authors: Tomek, S, Emri, S, Krejcy, K, Manegold, C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antineoplastic agents
Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use
Biological and medical sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomedicine
Cancer Research
Cancer therapies
Chemotherapy
Clinical trials
Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic
Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic
Cytotoxicity
Drug Resistance
Epidemiology
Humans
Medical prognosis
Medical research
Medical sciences
Medicine
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma - drug therapy
Molecular Medicine
Oncology
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Pleural Neoplasms - drug therapy
Radiation therapy
Response rates
Review
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Summary:This review summarises 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 antimetabolites, 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 analysed by increasingly implemented randomised studies, applying a standardised 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. The publication of pemetrexed with cisplatin phase III results in a peer-reviewed journal may soon establish a standard of care.
ISSN:0007-0920
1532-1827
DOI:10.1038/sj.bjc.6600673