Mesothelioma Drugs

Many mesothelioma cancer patients are treated with drugs either as a primary or adjunct therapy. The drugs most commonly used in mesothelioma patients are chemotherapy drugs, which are administered orally or via injection to destroy cancer cells. If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer, your physician will explain to you your best mesothelioma treatment options. If drug therapy is deemed appropriate, you may be treated with one or more of the following:

Mesothelioma Treatment with Alimta/Cisplatin

The Food and Drug Administration in 2004  approved Alimta (pemetrexed) to be admisistered  in patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. To treat mesothelioma patients, Alimta is often used in conjuncted with another cancer drug, Platinol (cisplatin), Though Cisplatin has been used as a cancer treatment since 1979 after it was was approved by the FDA.  But as a fact, clinical trials suggest that the drug combination extends patient life expectancies when compared with cisplatin alone.

Mesothelioma Treatment with Vinorelbine

After the Success of  Altima/Cisplatin in 1979 New demands for better treatment drugs arose and new medical trails came up with a drug Vinorelbine This drug was approved by the FDA in 1994 for use in patients with breast cancer and small cell lung cancer. However, Vinorelbine may also be used as part of a drug treatment regimenfor mesothelioma cancer patients.

Mesothelioma Treatment with Onconase

Onconase (P-30 protein /Ranpirnase) is currently under tested in clinical trials and so far has shown promise for extending the rate of mesothelioma survival cancer patients. More research is being conducted to determine whether or not Onconase is an appropriate drug therapy for mesothelioma patients.

Additional Options for Mesothelioma Drug Therapy

New drugs are always being tested for their effectiveness in mesothelioma treatment and other types of cancers. Tarceva (erlotinib hydrochloride) and Velcade (bortezomib) are two such effective drugs.

Mesothelioma Drug Therapy Side Effects

Although mesothelioma drug therapy has benefits, it also often causes a number of unwanted side effects such as hair loss, nausea and fatigue. Side effects will usually remedy themselves once the course of mesothelioma treatment is terminated, but patients should always discuss potential risks with their physician before undergoing treatment.
Mesothelioma cancer patients also have various other treatment options, including surgery, radiation therapy and alternative treatments. If you have mesothelioma cancer, talk to your doctor about the mesothelioma treatment options that are right for you since treatment plans vary according to patient.