Mesothelioma Asbestos Cure?
Alimta Approved as First Licensed Treatment for Mesothelioma, a Deadly Cancer Caused by Asbestos. Lilly UK announced today that Alimta( (pemetrexed) will be available shortly for the treatment of people diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs for which there is no known cure. Pemetrexed is the first licenced treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma, in combination with cisplatin.
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Alimta Approved as First Licensed Treatment for Mesothelioma, a Deadly Cancer Caused by Asbestos
BASINGSTOKE, England, November 1 /PRNewswire/ –
Lilly UK announced today that Alimta( (pemetrexed) will be available shortly for the treatment of people diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs for which there is no known cure. Pemetrexed is the first licenced treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma, in combination with cisplatin.
Most mesothelioma patients have a life expectancy of five months at the time of diagnosis(1). In a recent clinical trial, patients treated with pemetrexed and cisplatin lived longer than those treated with cisplatin alone(2).
Mesothelioma is a particularly lethal form of cancer that is usually caused as a result of exposure to asbestos. Most patients who develop mesothelioma have a history of working in industries where there was a risk of asbestos exposure, such as shipping, mining or insulation. Mesothelioma occurs decades after exposure.
Professor Hilary Calvert, of the Northern Institute of Cancer Research, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, comments, “This form of cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage at which point treatment with radiation therapy or surgery is not an option. Most of the patients I see only have a life expectancy after diagnosis of only a matter of months.”
He adds, “Until now there has been no licenced chemotherapy available and patients have been more likely to have treatment aimed to relieve the symptoms rather than to control the disease.”
New cases of mesothelioma are increasing rapidly in the UK. It is estimated that over 1,700 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma annually in the UK alone(3). This figure is likely to rise each year and peak up to 2,500 patients in 2015 due to the delay between exposure to asbestos, which is responsible for nearly all cases, and onset of the disease(4).
Analysis indicates that many mesothelioma deaths are due to previous high asbestos exposure in industries such as shipbuilding and railway engineering. Because of the regionality of these types of industries and consequent high asbestos exposure, mesothelioma deaths in Britain vary considerably.
The areas of high incidence include London, Glasgow, Newcastle, Greater Manchester, Plymouth and Hampshire.
Dr Mark Britton, Chairman of the British Lung Foundation, comments, “The news that a patient has mesothelioma has a devastating impact on them, their partner and family. Patient organisations such as the British Lung Foundation can do much to meet families’ need for support and information.”
Asbestos was once known as the ‘miracle mineral’ because the naturally occurring silicate has excellent heat resistant properties and can be spun like cotton, turned into boards or incorporated into concrete products. The use of asbestos in potentially hazardous circumstances was prohibited in the UK in 1986(5). Its use was widespread in houses, factories and ships. The substance was only finally banned in the UK in 1999(6) and leaves a lethal legacy for thousands of working men and women.
Pemetrexed will be commercially available in the UK at the end of this year or the start of 2005.
Alimta® (pemetrexed) is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly and Company
Notes to editors
Interviews with clinicians can be arranged through the contacts listed above.
Workers who may have been exposed to asbestos, patients and their carers can find more information about malignant pleural mesothelioma by talking with their GPs and can find more information through Mesothelioma UK (the Macmillan National Mesothelioma Resource Centre) on 0800 169 2409 or CancerBACUP on 0808 800 1234.
Mesothelioma deaths by region
Mesothelioma mortality in Great Britain: deaths for males and females by area - 1996-2000:
Area Men dying from Standardised Women dying Standardised
mesothelioma mortality from mortality
ratio mesothelioma ratio
North East 500 169% 73 160
North West 771 101% 109 91
London 647 98% 118 116
South East 1,027 112% 170 120
South West 625 99% 69 71
Where the ’standardised mortality ratio is over 100, this means that the number of deaths is greater than expected based on disease rates for the whole of Great Britain. This table shows that deaths were much higher in the North East of England than in other areas(7).
About pemetrexed
Pemetrexed, in combination with cisplatin, is indicated for the treatment of chemotherapy naïve patients with unresectable mesothelioma. Cisplatin is a type of anticancer medicine that is used principally in combination with other compounds, such as pemetrexed, in chemotherapy treatment and also works to prevent cancer cells from reproducing.
Pemetrexed has also been indicated as a single agent for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer after prior chemotherapy.
Lilly submitted the regulatory application to the European Medicines Agency in the third quarter of 2003 and received a licence in September 2004.
About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a growing portfolio of pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent scientific organisations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, Lilly provides answers - through medicines and information - for some of the world’s most urgent medical needs. Additional, information about Lilly is available at www.lilly.co.uk
References
1 Ribak J et al. Survival of asbestos insulation workers with mesothelioma. British Journal of Industrial Medicine 1992; 49:732-735.
2 Vogelzang N et al. Phase III study of pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin versus cisplatin alone
in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. J Clin Oncol Vol 21, No 14 (July 15), 2003.
3 www.cancerresearchuk.org/aboutcancer/specificcancers/mesothelioma. Accessed 19/10/04.
4 Health & Safety Executive. Mesothelioma mortality in Great Britain: estimating the future burden. National Statistics 2003.
5 Asbestos Hazards Handbook Chapter 5. ( www.lhc.org.uk/members/pubs/books/asbestos/asb05.htm). Accessed 05/10/04.
6 International Ban Asbestos Secretariat ( www.ibas.btinternet.co.uk/lka_uk_ban.htm). Accessed 06/10/04.
7 Health and Safety Executive. Mesothelioma mortality in Great Britain: an analysis by geographical area. National Statistics 2003.