The primary objective of the study is to determine the feasibility (as determined by lack of serious adverse events) and tolerability (as determined by patient's ability to complete the study) of a multimodal lung sparing regimen of surgery, interpleural and intravenous chemotherapy, and local P-32 irradiation for malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Current surgical and/or chemotherapeutic approaches for malignant pleural mesothelioma are unsatisfactory and have not been shown to significantly prolong survival, and often lead to worsened pulmonary function and quality of life. We will investigate whether a prospective trial of trimodal (surgery, pleural chemotherapy, and pleural radiation) therapy can improve the overall 1 year survival in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. The proposed treatment will include exploratory thoracoscopy, placement of Mediport catheters into the pleural space, intraoperative chemotherapy, repeated intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and intrapleural instillation of radioactive P32 to radiate the pleural surfaces. In addition, because this study is randomized, half the patients will receive an additional three intravenous systemic chemotherapy treatments of cisplatin and pemetrexed (Alimta) in tandem with their intrapleural chemotherapy (weeks 3, 6, and 9 only). The potential significance of this research is that such treatment may render it less necessary to surgically remove the affected lungs in whole or in part, in order to achieve significant disease cytoreduction. We hope to alter the currently accepted paradigm that major lung surgery is an inescapable component of such treatment, and advance the concept that a combination of judicious preparative surgery, systemic chemotherapy, and locoregional drug treatment of the pleural surfaces may offer the best hope for prolongation of survival with intact lung function.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
9
A medication used in cancer chemotherapy, derived by chemical semisynthesis from a bacterial species.
Platinum-based antineoplastic
Folate Analog Metabolic Inhibitor
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, New York, United States
Number of Subjects Who Were Able to Complete Trimodal Therapy (Combination of Surgery, Intrapleural and Systemic Chemotherapy and P-32 Radiotherapy).
To determine the feasibility of multimodal lung sparing regimen. Intrapleural chemotherapy (12 weeks) will be administered within two weeks after surgery. Approximately 30 days post last dose of chemotherapy (+/- 14 days), the patient should be reassessed for resolution of any treatment-related toxicity which may have occurred during the course of study participation.
Time frame: 20 weeks
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Standard procedure given 3 weeks after last dose of chemotherapy