Pemetrexed With Platinum Combination as a Backbone for Targeted Therapy in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.
Standard platinum-based chemotherapy combinations for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have reached a plateau in terms of the survival benefit they offer for patients. In addition, the emerging clinical trend of tailored treatment based on patient characteristics has led to the development of therapeutic strategies that target specific cancer-related molecular pathways, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), angiogenesis, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors. Current research is focused on combining targeted therapy with platinum-based chemotherapy in an endeavor to achieve an additional benefit in specific patient populations. Currently, pemetrexed is indicated for use in the first-line, maintenance, and second-line settings for the treatment of nonsquamous NSCLC. The combination of pemetrexed and cisplatin is well tolerated and is the approved standard first-line therapy. Thus, the pemetrexed-platinum backbone provides an attractive option for combination with targeted therapies. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge and future prospects of the use of pemetrexed-platinum as a backbone for combination with targeted therapies for NSCLC.
Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC. Electronic address: thomas_stinchcombe@med.unc.edu.
Thomas E
TE
Stinchcombe
Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Hossein
H
Borghaei
Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN.
Scott S
SS
Barker
Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN.
Joseph Anthony
JA
Treat
Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN.
Coleman
C
Obasaju
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D000068437:Pemetrexed / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010984:Platinum / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000068437:Pemetrexed; D010984:Platinum; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors
Angiogenesis inhibitor; EGFR inhibitor; Nonsquamous; Platinum-doublet chemotherapy