An ongoing trial, being conducted at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, aims to determine the maximum combined dose of Cisplatin, Pemetrexed and Imatinib Mesylate that can be tolerated in treating malignant mesothelioma.
Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive and currently incurable cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. There are three types of mesothelioma, the most common being pleural mesothelioma which affects the lining of the lungs. Other forms include peritoneal mesothelioma, affecting the lining of the stomach and pericardial mesothelioma, the rarest form, occurring in the lining of the heart. Most often the cancer is diagnosed with an MRI, CT scan, or chest X-ray. Any fluid that is detected by the images is then tested for claw-like asbestos fibers. Mesothelioma chemotherapy is available, but like all available treatments it is intended as palliative therapy as opposed to a curative treatment.
The study began in 2006 with an estimated 42 participants. Candidates for the study needed to be over the age of 18 and diagnosed with unresectable malignant mesothelioma. Both female and male patients were encouraged to apply.
The study includes 6, 28-day cycles. Prior to beginning a cycle, participants receive 300 mg of Imatinib Mesylate tablets orally once a day for one week before prior to administering the other two drugs. On the first day of each treatment cycle participants receive 60mg of Cisplatin over 2 hours and 500mg of Pemetrexed over 40 minutes. Both drugs are administered intravenously.
Aside from the primary objective, the study also looks to assess the rate of response to therapy and explore the effects of the drugs as they pertain to the mesothelioma disease.
The study is being conducted under Dr. Anne S. Tsao of the Division of Cancer Medicine and is set to be completed in August 2010. More information is available at Clinicaltrials.gov under the official title Phase I Trial of Cisplatin, Pemetrexed, and Imatinib Mesylate in Unresectable or Metastatic Malignant Mesothelioma. The trial ID is NCT00402766.
Mesothelioma.com encourages patients of malignant mesothelioma, as well as their loved ones to continue to monitor ongoing clinical trials such as this one to determine if they may benefit from participation.
