Alimta and cisplatin are FDA approved for second and first line therapy of lung cancer. Carboplatin can be substituted for cisplatin.The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of nineteen of the world’s leading cancer centers, recently added pemetrexed (Alimta®, Eli Lilly and Company) as an option for second-line therapy for lung cancer. The panel indicated that it has been shown to be equivalent to docetaxel (Taxotere®, Sanofi-Aventis) in efficacy but with less toxicity. At this time, Alimta is FDA approved, as follows: ALIMTA is indicated in combination with cisplatin therapy for the initial treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer. ALIMTA is not indicated for treatment of patients with squamous cell non-small cell lung cancer. ALIMTA is indicated as a single-agent for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer after prior chemotherapy.
Alimta and Avastin are currently in a phase II study: Pemetrexed Plus Bevacizumab in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, NCT00741221. There are also ongoign phase II studies that incldue platins.
More recently, NCCN changed the wording of its recomemndations from specific chemo regimens with Avastin to "chemotehrpay with Avastin". This has been widely interpreted to include premetrexed based regimens or other regimens but NCCN did not list these regimens in its section "Systemic Therapy". Unfortinately NCCN is not clear in its descriptive section either.
Scagliotti G, et al Phase III Study of Pemetrexed Plus Cisplatin Versus Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin in Chemonaive patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Proceedings from the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer meeting. 2007. Abstract #PRS-03.
Gronberg B, et al. A Phase III Study by the Norwegian Lung Cancer Group: Pemetrexed + Carboplatin vs. Gemcitabine + Carboplatin as First-Line Chemotherapy in Stage IIIB/IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Proceedings from the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer meeting. 2007. Abstract A3-04.
Zinner RG, Fossella FV, Gladish GW, et al. Phase II study of pemetrexed in combination with carboplatin in the first-line treatment of ad-vanced nonsmall cell lung cancer. Cancer. 2005 Dec 1;104(11):2449-56.
Alimta and cisplatin are FDA approved for second and first line therapy of lung cancer. Carboplatin can be substituted for cisplatin.The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of nineteen of the world’s leading cancer centers, recently added pemetrexed (Alimta®, Eli Lilly and Company) as an option for second-line therapy for lung cancer. The panel indicated that it has been shown to be equivalent to docetaxel (Taxotere®, Sanofi-Aventis) in efficacy but with less toxicity. At this time, Alimta is FDA approved, as follows: ALIMTA is indicated in combination with cisplatin therapy for the initial treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer. ALIMTA is not indicated for treatment of patients with squamous cell non-small cell lung cancer. ALIMTA is indicated as a single-agent for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer after prior chemotherapy.
Alimta and Avastin are currently in a phase II study: Pemetrexed Plus Bevacizumab in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, NCT00741221. There are also ongoign phase II studies that incldue platins.
More recently, NCCN changed the wording of its recomemndations from specific chemo regimens with Avastin to "chemotehrpay with Avastin". This has been widely interpreted to include premetrexed based regimens or other regimens but NCCN did not list these regimens in its section "Systemic Therapy". Unfortinately NCCN is not clear in its descriptive section either.
Scagliotti G, et al Phase III Study of Pemetrexed Plus Cisplatin Versus Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin in Chemonaive patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Proceedings from the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer meeting. 2007. Abstract #PRS-03.
Gronberg B, et al. A Phase III Study by the Norwegian Lung Cancer Group: Pemetrexed + Carboplatin vs. Gemcitabine + Carboplatin as First-Line Chemotherapy in Stage IIIB/IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Proceedings from the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer meeting. 2007. Abstract A3-04.
Zinner RG, Fossella FV, Gladish GW, et al. Phase II study of pemetrexed in combination with carboplatin in the first-line treatment of ad-vanced nonsmall cell lung cancer. Cancer. 2005 Dec 1;104(11):2449-56.