title: Novel combinations using pemetrexed in malignant mesothelioma.
abstract: Malignant mesothelioma is an uncommon malignancy that is locally invasive and rapidly fatal. The majority of patients with mesothelioma are not candidates for curative surgical resection. Chemotherapy has yielded only modest results in these patients. Pemetrexed is a multitargeted antifolate that is being evaluated in many tumor types. Recent single-agent data and data in combination with cisplatin have suggested that pemetrexed has therapeutic benefits in patients with malignant mesothelioma. This article summarizes the data regarding pemetrexed in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma and the potential novel combinations involving the drug that may be used in the future for the treatment of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University/Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. gadgeels@karmanos.org
authors.forename: Shirish M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gadgeel
authors.forename: Harvey I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Pass
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005971:Glutamates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D006147:Guanine; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine