Mesothelioma

First line chemotherapy for mesothelioma – pro

For first line unresectable pleural mesothelioma, NCCN recommends: Alimta and carboplatin or cisplatin every 3 weeks as a Category 1 recommendation. In various studies, these combinations obtained overall response rate of 26.3% in 745 mesothelioma patients, and the combination of pemetrexed and carboplatin was associated with an overall response rate of 21.6%. One-year survival rate was 63 to 64%. The researchers' findings were derived from an analysis

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Chemotherapy for mesothelioma gemcitabine and oxaliplatin – pro

Lay Summary: Gemcitabine and oxaliplatin combination is promising but needs more study for mesothelioma. Most patients with malignant mesothelioma are candidates for systemic chemotherapy during the course of their disease, but no standard regimen has been established. Several phase II single-agent and combination chemotherapy studies have been performed over the past two decades. There are tow studies of the gemcitabine/ oxaliplatin combination

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Intrapleural chemotherapy – pro

Intrapleural chemotherapy is given through large or small chest catheters that may be connected to an implantable port. These catheters can be used to give drugs as well as to drain fluid that often accumulates in the pleural or peritoneal cavity when cancer has spread to these areas. Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common and life-threatening problem in patients with advanced malignancies. In most cases, MPE is controlled by tube drainage

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Alimta and cisplatin for mesothelioma – pro

Most patients with malignant mesothelioma are candidates for systemic chemotherapy during the course of their disease, but no standard regimen has been established. Several phase II single-agent and combination chemotherapy studies have been performed over the past two decades. There are tow studies of the gemcitabine/ oxaliplatin combination to my knowledge, a retropsective revieew and two phase II studies, with small numbers of patients.  Although

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Chemotherapy and Avastin for mesothelioma – pro

Avastin has been tesed in phase II in mesothelioma, usually in combinaiton. Results are not always positive. For example,  a 2009 abstract concluded that adding Avsatin to Alimta and cisplatin does not improve PFS when compared with historical controls of PC in advanced MM pts. The NCCN Guidelines recommends pemetrexed (Alimta®, Lilly USA, LLC) with cisplatin (Platinol®, Bristol-Myers Squibb) or carboplatin (Paraplatin®, Bristol-Myers Squibb),

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Mesothelioma Surgery Options – pro

Mesothelioma is a cancer that is most often linked to asbestos exposure. It can involve the luing of the lung(pleura) or of the belly(abdomen but are also found on the lining of the abdomen, heart or testicles. Pleural and abdominal mesotheliomas are the most common. Treating mesothelioma surgically remains difficult because it spreads along surfaces of these linings. To perform surgery, accurate tumor staging is imperative since many patients in

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