Chemotherapy for malignant mesothelioma: from doxorubicin to vinorelbine.
It has been a challenge to find effective chemotherapeutic treatments for malignant mesothelioma. Over the last several decades numerous single-drug and combination regimens have been examined, but no standard treatment with chemotherapy alone has emerged. Possible explanations for this lack of success are the heterogeneity between the different subclasses of mesothelioma and the difficulties experienced in determining responses on computed tomographic (CT) scan. This review will present the results of most chemotherapy trials. An attempt is also been made to overcome the problem of identifying the overall response rate by presenting the median survival time. Other types of response evaluation and guidelines for patient selection are warranted to properly compare chemotherapeutic treatments.
Baas
Paul
P
Department of Thoracic Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077235:Vinorelbine
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014747:Vinblastine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D016190:Carboplatin; D002945:Cisplatin; D000077235:Vinorelbine