Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs for treating cancer.
By interfering with the cancer cells’ ability to
divide and reproduce, the drugs are able to destroy them.
There are more than 50 different drugs used in the treatment
of cancer, a handful of which have been helpful in treating
mesothelioma patients. Often, doctors recommended a combination
of these drugs to increase their effectiveness at destroying
cancerous cells.
For the treatment of mesothelioma and other cancers,
systematic chemotherapy is used. This means that the
drugs enter the patient’s bloodstream and then
circulate throughout his or her entire body. While this
ensures that the drugs are able to reach cancer cells
allover the body, it also means these highly potent drugs
can affect a person’s normal cells and tissues
as well. This concern is always present during chemotherapy
treatment, so doctors must be sure to carefully select
the combination and dosages of the drugs that will be
used to treat each patient based on their individual
circumstances.
» Back to top
Side Effects
The high toxicity of the drugs used in chemotherapy
can cause a number of side effects, the type and severity
of which varies from patient to patient and from drug
to drug. However, the most commonly experienced side
effects of chemotherapy drugs include: nausea, hair loss,
loss of appetite, oral sores, and physical fatigue. In
addition, fertility may be temporarily affected, and
the number of cells developed by the body’s bone
marrow may be reduced, making it harder to recover from
illness or injury. Fortunately, most side effects gradually
disappear after the completion of chemotherapy.
» Back to top
Alimta
Alimta (pemetrexed) was the first chemotherapy drug approved
by the FDA specifically for the treatment of mesothelioma.
In 2002, the drug’s manufacturer, Eli Lilly Company,
conducted the largest clinical trial in the United States
for mesothelioma treatment. When combined with the drug
cisplatin, Altima shrank mesothelioma tumors in 41 % of
patients. Additionally, patients who received a combination
of both drugs showed an increase in survival time by about
30% over cisplatin alone. Results of the study were so
promising that the FDA approved the drug under an “expanded
access” program while further studies were conducted.
After more testing, Alimta received full FDA approval in
2004.
» Back to top
