title: Combination of raltitrexed and oxaliplatin is an active regimen in malignant mesothelioma: results of a phase II study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this open-label phase II study was to evaluate the activity of raltitrexed (Tomudex; AstraZeneca, Cergy, France) and oxaliplatin combination therapy in patients with diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma. PATIENT AND METHODSs: Fifteen pretreated and 55 chemotherapy-naive patients (median age, 60 years; World Health Organization performance status of < or = 2) were enrolled. Most patients (66%) had advanced disease. Patients received raltitrexed 3 mg/m2 followed by oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 every 3 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four patients (34%) were classified as having a poor prognosis. In the overall study population, 14 patients (20%) had a partial response, and 32 patients (46%) had stable disease. The symptomatic response rates were as follows: shortness of breath, 36%; pain, 30%; activity, 23%; appetite, 21%; and asthenia, 20%. Median time to disease progression was 18 weeks (95% confidence interval [CI], 13 to 22 weeks). In chemotherapy-naive patients, median survival was 31 weeks (95% CI, 23 to 40 weeks) from the start of treatment and 49 weeks (95% CI, 40 to 52 weeks) from diagnosis of mesothelioma. In pretreated patients, median survival was 44 weeks (95% CI, 24 to 40 weeks) from the start of treatment and 226 weeks (95% CI, 63 to 292 weeks) from the diagnosis of mesothelioma. Overall 1-year survival was 26% (95% CI, 15.5% to 36.4%), survival was 22% (95% CI, 10.9% to 33.2%) in chemotherapy-naive patients and 40% (95% CI, 15.2% to 64.8%) in pretreated patients. Hematologic toxicity was mild, and there was no alopecia. The most common adverse events were asthenia, nausea/vomiting, and paraesthesia, and no treatment-related deaths were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The raltitrexed and oxaliplatin combination is an active outpatient regimen in malignant mesothelioma and has an acceptable tolerability profile.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France. fizazi@igr.fr
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fizazi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doubre
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Le Chevalier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riviere
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viala
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barthélemy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fandi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruffié
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015996:Survival Rate; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D011799:Quinazolines; D013876:Thiophenes; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; C068874:raltitrexed