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Pleural mesothelioma patients treated with both cisplatin and raltitrexed may survive longer than patients who receive cisplatin alone, according to a recent study conducted in Europe and Canada (J Clin Oncol. 2005 Oct 1; 23(28): 68819). Raltitrexed (Tomudex) works by interfering with the ability of tumor cells to multiply and make deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA. Cisplatin is a traditional chemotherapy drug.

Two hundred fifty pleural mesothelioma patients took part in a clinical trial to determine the safety and effectiveness of raltitrexed. One hundred twentyfour patients took cisplatin and the rest took cisplatin plus raltitrexed. Most were men with an average age of 58 who had not received other chemotherapy treatments.

The raltitrexed study was a phase III clinical trial, as defined by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer. A phase III trial compares a new cancer treatment with a standard treatment, and requires a large number of participants. It follows a phase II clinical trial, which is concerned with the safety of a new treatment and how to administer it, and a basic phase I clinical trial, which tests the drugs effectiveness on a small number of patients.

Survival Increased in Patients Treated with Raltitrexed The researchers looked at survival, progression of pleural mesothelioma, safety, tumor response rates, and the patients quality of life. They found the following: tarceva