Commonly Used Drugs With Chemotherapy to Treat Mesothelioma Patients

Cisplatin is one of the drugs used in chemotherapy treatment for mesothelioma patients. Presently it has been combined with other drugs so as to increase its effectiveness when treating mesothelioma patients. The drugs was with a history, in which, it has been proved unsuccessful but later found effective in treating mesothelioma when combined with the drug Alimta. It generally causes a higher range of side effects than the drugs that are presently in the field. Physicians more often use these modern medications before trying on Cisplatin due to this fact. 

Mesothelioma Patients

Alimta (Permetrexed) has been used widely now to treat patients. The drug was introduced first in 2005 and often administered with Cisplatin. According to physicians, Alimta is one of the most effective drugs to date to treat pleural mesothelioma patients who are unable to undergo surgeries due to various reasons. Alimta influences malignant cells by restricting their divisions and growth.

Chemotherapy to Treat Mesothelioma Patients

Yet another drug used to treat mesothelioma patients is Onconase (Ranpirnase and P-30 protein). It has been manufactured from the embryos and eggs of the northern leopard frogs. This extraction helps breakdown cancer cells of patients and keeps the healthy cells intact.

Another effective drug is Gemcitabine. Physicians use this drug to treat bladder, pancreas and breast cancers. It is been found that Gemcitabine is also effective with pleural mesothelioma patients. Gemcitabine mostly used with another drug to increase its effect.

Carboplatin came to the field in early 1980 and was used widely as this drug is with fewer side effects when comparing with other drugs. It is used widely to treat cancers in the neck, head, lung and ovaries including mesotheliomas.

Unlike above mentioned drugs, Navelbine (Vinorelbine) has been manufactured from extractions of a plant called periwinkle. All the other drugs mentioned used to treat cancers are synthetic while Navelbine is a semi synthetic medicine.