Drugs Used For Mesothelioma Cancer :-

Pemetrexed :-

Pemetrexed is a type of chemotherapy drug. It is also called Alimta. It is a little similar to another drug in regular use called methotrexate. It has been used in the largest phase 3 clinical trial ever conducted for malignant pleural mesothelioma. This international trial began in 1998 and results were reported on in May 2002. The study was aimed at finding out whether pemetrexed plus cisplatin was more effective in treating malignant mesothelioma than cisplatin alone. All patients were given supplements of vitamin B12 and folic acid to help reduce side effects (such as diarrhoea). The outcome of this trial was promising. A number of recent trials are now looking at the use of pemetrexed in combination with other chemotherapy agents.

Onconase :-

Onconase is an experimental chemotherapy drug, made from leopard frog eggs. Onconase may have fewer side effects than many other chemotherapy drugs. But not all the side effects may be known as yet. A phase 3 clinical trial has been going on in the USA and Germany comparing the use of Onconase with doxorubicin to doxorubicin alone for people with mesothelioma. Unfortunately, the trial reports aren't very promising. The researchers say that onconase may be better than doxorubicin for some patients, but doxorubicin isn't the chemotherapy drug of choice for mesothelioma now anyway.