A study conducted by a group of Italian researchers, tested the overall effectiveness of a second treatment regemin using pemetrexed-based chemotherapy for mesothelioma patients who disease had relapsed.
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Sources:
This study was published in the January 7, 2011 edition of the medical journal, Lung Cancer.
In the study, the researchers documented the treatment responses for 31 patients who received a minimum of one previous round of treatments with pemetrexed chemotherapy and were then treated again using the same chemotherapy agent. The study was conducted during the period of 2004 and 2009. The time period between the first round of treatment and the re-treament, was a minimum of six months for all patients in the study. During this re-treatment, 15 patients were given pemetrexed chemotherapy alone and the remaining 16 patients received a combination of pemetrexed and platinum based chemotherapy agents.
In the study, the researchers documented the treatment responses for 31 patients who received a minimum of one previous round of treatments with pemetrexed chemotherapy and were then treated again using the same chemotherapy agent. The study was conducted during the period of 2004 and 2009. The time period between the first round of treatment and the re-treament, was a minimum of six months for all patients in the study. During this re-treatment, 15 patients were given pemetrexed chemotherapy alone and the remaining 16 patients received a combination of pemetrexed and platinum based chemotherapy agents.
The study indicated that following:
- In 48% of patients, the mesothelioma tumors either completely shrunk, partially shrunk, or stabilized and stopped growing.
- The median survival after the re-treatment was 10.5 months.
- Patients who's tumors stopped growing for at least 12 months after their first treatment rounds with pemetrexed chemo, typically responsded better to the re-treatment. In fact, their survival was improved approximately three months above those whose tumors did not stablize for 12 months after the initial therapy.
- Patients reported the side effects from the pemetrexed based chemotherapy as fairly mild.
Similiar results were obtained in a smally study conducted by Japenese Researchers, which focused on patients who were re-treated after six months of tumor stabilization (no growth).
This research should offer doctors additional options to extend survival time for patients that have relapsed.
For more asbestos and mesothelioma information click the following link:
Mesothelioma Information
This research should offer doctors additional options to extend survival time for patients that have relapsed.
For more asbestos and mesothelioma information click the following link:
Mesothelioma Information
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Sources:
January 7, 2011, Lung Cancer
October 2010, International Journal of Clinical Oncology, 497-9.
