Currently, Alimta and Cisplatin are the only prescription drugs to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients afflicted with pleural mesothelioma, an asbestos related cancer.
In studies, such as those published in the July 2006 issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, patients who took Alimta (pemetrexed) with or without cisplatin--a widely used, platinum-containing, chemotherapy drug--demonstrated a marked improvement in their condition. This is welcome news for people dealing with pleural mesothelioma, which is a notoriously difficult to treat with medication or surgery.
Manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company, Alimta, operates by impeding the enzymes that cancer cells require to reproduce. While, Alimta and Cisplatin, will not cleanse cancer from the body, these pleural mesothelioma medications may extend a patient's lifespan.
It is essential that before a patient begins taking Alimta and Cisplatin that he or she informs their doctor if they are currently taking ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat pain or arthritis. Also, patients should notify their physician of any kidney problems.
It is advisable that patients take 350 to 1000 micrograms of folic acid per day, for five days, the week before they begin Alimta Cisplatin to fight asbestos related cancer. This should be kept up until twenty-one days after the patient's last cycle of Alimta. It is also advisable that patients take dexamethasone, a steroid medication, to curb the risk of adverse effects. Unless a doctor recommends differently, dexamethasone should be taken twice per day, on the day before, the day of, and the day after treatment.
For more information about these drugs used to treat asbestos related cancer, please click on the following link to visit the Alimta website:
http://www.alimta.com/treatment/treatment/cycles.jsp?reqNavId=2.1.2
For further information about facilities that are knowledgeable in using drug therapy to treat asbestos related diseases in the New York and New Jersey area please click on the following link:
http://nynjmesothelioma.com/traditional-mesothelioma-treatment.php#physicians
To view the FDA's question and answer sheet about Alimta, please click on the following link:
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/alimta/alimtaQA.htm
Asbestos can cause serious life threatening diseases even when the exposure occurs for a short amount of time. Asbestos fibers are microscopic and exposure can occur without a worker even knowing it.
Asbestos related cancer occurs not only in people working directly with asbestos products but also in bystanders and family members who have been exposed to asbestos dust.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City utilizes the Alimta Cisplatin treatment protocol with mesothelioma patients, stating on its website (hyperlink to
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/76962.cfm): "Recent studies have shown that combination chemotherapy of pemetrexed (Alimta) and cisplatin can increase survival and improve quality of life in patients with mesothelioma."
If you or someone you know has contracted an asbestos related illness, you may wish to speak with a mesothelioma attorney who can advise you of your legal rights to claim compensation for the development of your illness. You may contact us by calling 1.800.MESO.LAW, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or by filling out the email form.
