Symptoms of Mesothelioma

Pemetrexed alone or in tandem with a platinum agent shows good overall response and disease control rates in patients with peritoneal mesothelioma (PM), according to data presented here at the 14th European Cancer Conference (ECCO).

The study enrolled 109 patients with a histologic or cytologic diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma that was not amenable to curative surgery and was treated with pemetrexed alone or in combination with a platinum agent.

“Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare cancer, with a yearly incidence of about one or two cases per million in the US and Europe, while the incidence of pleural mesothelioma is 3- to 30-fold higher in different countries,” said study presenter Giacomo Carteni, MD, Director, Oncology Division, Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy.

Few large studies have examined peritoneal mesothelioma, so treatment has largely been based on protocols used in patients with pleural mesothelioma, Dr. Carteni said in his poster presentation on September 24th.

The international Expanded Access Program (EAP) for pemetrexed in mesothelioma provided access to the drug before and during review by regulatory agencies.

In the trial, pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 alone or in combination with cisplatin 75 mg/m2 or carboplatin AUC 5 was given on day 1 of each 21-day treatment cycle as part of the EAP. All patients received standard supplementation with vitamin B12 and folic acid, and dexamethasone for prophylaxis.

Patients were treated until they developed progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity, or until the investigator or patient decided to halt treatment.

Pemetrexed and platinum combination was associated with a 20% or greater response rate and a 76% or greater disease control rate.

Patients in the single-agent platinum group had a 12.5% overall response rate, a 50% disease control rate, and a 41.5% survival rate at 1 year. “This is in line with their worse prognostic factors like higher median age, higher percent of patients who had undergone prior chemotherapy, and lower performance status at baseline,” Dr. Carteni said.

Hematologic toxicity was manageable in all groups and in agreement with earlier phase 3 findings, he said.

These results reported for peritoneal mesothelioma are comparable with the pemetrexed EAP in the US, which involved 98 patients with peritoneal mesothelioma. In that report, the overall response rate was 26% and median survival exceeded 13 months.

The study was sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company.

News from:  www.docguide.com in 27 September 2007

Madison County Circuit Judge Daniel Stack has begun picking a jury for the county’s first asbestos trial in more than a year.

Once the trial begins, Chester Black of Joplin, Mo. will try to prove he was exposed to and inhaled, ingested or otherwise absorbed large amounts of asbestos fibers emanating from products he was working with or around. If the case actually goes to trial, it is expected to last nearly two weeks.

Black, represented by Randy Gori of The Goldenberg firm in Edwardsville, filed suit earlier this year, seeking compensatory and punitive damages in excess of $400,000.

He was diagnosed with mesothelioma in May 2006. (more…)

The family of an Islington man are seeking former workmates to shed light on the working conditions which brought about his untimely death.
Eric Broadway died last May at the age of 81 as a result of asbestos related cancer, mesothelioma, which he is believed to have contracted while working as an electrician.
Mr Broadway died 10 weeks after being diagnosed, and his family were shocked to see him decline so quickly from a healthy looking man. (more…)

A man suffering from asbestos related cancer has launched a High Court legal battle for compensation of up to £250,000.

Richard Shepherdson, 61, has developed malignant mesothelioma, a cancer of the tissues surrounding his lungs or his abdomen, according to a writ issued at London’s High Court.

Now Mr Shepherdson, of Tulip Close, Biggleswade, is claiming damages from DH Allan and Sons, who he blames for his condition. (more…)