{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,29]],"date-time":"2025-08-29T00:02:22Z","timestamp":1756425742222,"version":"3.44.0"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"10","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["DTB"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2006,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Mesothelioma is a cancer that originates in the pleura or, more rarely, the peritoneum, and is almost always due to exposure to asbestos fibres.1 It is typically fatal, with a median survival of about 8-14 months after diagnosis.1 Conventional treatment options have not improved this poor outlook. Also, the number of deaths attributable to malignant mesothelioma has been rising rapidly in the UK since the late 1960s, and is set to peak at about 1,950-2,450 per year between 2011 and 2015.2 It is against this background that \u25bcpemetrexed (pronounced pe-me-treks-ed) (Alimta - Lilly) has recently become available for use with cisplatin for the treatment of patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma who have not previously been treated with chemotherapy. Currently, this is the only chemotherapy regimen licensed for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma in the UK. Here we review the care of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, focusing on what, if anything, pemetrexed might offer such individuals.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/dtb.2006.441077","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2008,7,18]],"date-time":"2008-07-18T16:15:40Z","timestamp":1216397740000},"page":"77-80","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Can \u25bcpemetrexed help in malignant mesothelioma?"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"44","member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2006,10,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"250","DOI":"10.1136\/thorax.56.4.250","article-title":"Statement on malignant mesothelioma in the United Kingdom","volume":"56","author":"British Thoracic Society Standards of Care Committee","year":"2001","journal-title":"Thorax"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/thorax.56.4.250"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"397","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(05)67025-0","article-title":"Malignant mesothelioma","volume":"366","author":"Robinson","year":"2005","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(05)67025-0"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1159\/000196043","article-title":"Diagnostic and prognostic factors in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a retrospective analysis of sixty-five patients","volume":"59","author":"Tammilehto","year":"1992","journal-title":"Respiration"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000196043"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.hoc.2005.09.009"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/thx.58.suppl_2.ii29"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.9","unstructured":"Shaw P Agarwal R . Pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusions The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews."},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1183","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(04)17108-0","article-title":"Pleural mesothelioma: little evidence, still time to do trials","volume":"364","author":"Treasure","year":"2004","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(04)17108-0"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lungcan.2004.11.003"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.13","unstructured":"Chapman E . Radiotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews."},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"754","DOI":"10.1378\/chest.108.3.754","article-title":"Prevention of malignant seeding after invasive diagnostic procedures in patients with pleural mesothelioma. A randomized trial of local radiotherapy","volume":"108","author":"Boutin","year":"1995","journal-title":"Chest"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1378\/chest.108.3.754"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.bjc.6601957"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0169-5002(02)00180-0"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1008236010868","article-title":"Good symptom relief with palliative MVP (mitomycin-C, vinblastine and cisplatin) chemotherapy in malignant mesothelioma","volume":"9","author":"Middleton","year":"1998","journal-title":"Ann Oncol"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1008236010868"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.20","unstructured":"Alimta 500mg powder for concentrate for solution for infections Summary of product characteristics The Netherlands: Eli Lilly and Company Limited February 2006."},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1556","DOI":"10.1200\/JCO.2003.06.122","article-title":"Phase II study of pemetrexed with and without folic acid and vitamin B12 as front-line therapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma","volume":"21","author":"Scagliotti","year":"2003","journal-title":"J Clin Oncol"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1200\/JCO.2003.06.122"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1200\/JCO.2005.04.3190"},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.24","unstructured":"Gralla RJ . Improving quality-of-life in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma: results of the randomized pemetrexed + cisplatin vs. cisplatin trial using the LCSS-meso instrument Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 2003; 22 [abstract 2496]."},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.25","unstructured":"National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. 2006 Final Appraisal Determination. Pemetrexed disodium for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma [online] http:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/page.aspx?o=334604 [Accessed 20 September 2006]."},{"key":"2025082722472876000_44.10.77.26","unstructured":"National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. 2006 Appeal announcement: Pemetrexed disodium for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma [online] http:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/page.aspx?o=358469 [Accessed 20 September 2006]."}],"container-title":["Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/dtb.2006.441077","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,28]],"date-time":"2025-08-28T05:47:41Z","timestamp":1756360061000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dtb.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/dtb.2006.441077"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2006,10]]},"references-count":26,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2006,10,1]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2006,10]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/dtb.2006.441077"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/dtb.2006.441077","relation":{},"ISSN":["0012-6543","1755-5248"],"issn-type":[{"type":"print","value":"0012-6543"},{"type":"electronic","value":"1755-5248"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2006,10]]}}}