Pemetrexed is as effective against recurrent non-small cell lung cancer as docetaxel but with significantly fewer side effects
Patients with recurrent non-small
cell lung cancer treated with pemetrexed have similar survival rates
but significantly fewer side effects than patients treated with
docetaxel, according to a presentation at the 10th World Congress
on Lung Cancer. In earlier clinical trials, pemetrexed improved
survival among patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
"Alimta [pemetrexed]
is emerging as a promising new treatment option for lung cancer
patients," said Frances Shepherd, MD, study presenter. "The
[pemetrexed] data gathered thus far represent a significant advance
and will positively affect the future of treatment for both non-small
cell lung cancer and malignant pleural mesothelioma."
The data presented at the Congress Presidential
Symposium come from a phase III international trial comparing pemetrexed
and docetaxel for patients with recurrent non-small cell lung cancer.
The patients in the pemetrexed group had a median survival of 8.3
months compared with 7.9 months for patients in the docetaxel group.
Importantly, the researchers found a difference
in the incidence of severe neutropenia (5 percent in the pemetrexed
arm and 40 percent in the docetaxel arm), number of patients with
neutropenia-related fever, and number of related hospitalizations,
as well as fewer drug-related serious adverse events. All of the
differences in side effects reached statistical significance.
|