Impressive remission in a patient with locally advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma treated with gemcitabine

The results of treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma are quite unsatisfactory regardless of the substance or schedule employed. Although some activity is proved for anthracyclines, platinum compounds and alkylating substances, no chemotherapeutic regimen has emerged as a standard of care. Response rates documented in literature are between 10 and 20% for all these regimens. We report about a patient with locally advanced, unresectable pleural mesothelioma treated with the nucleoside analog gemcitabine (2,2-difluorodeoxycytidine). A 54-year-old male patient with unresectable pleural mesothelioma confirmed by thoracoscopic biopsy was treated with seven cycles of gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 on day 1, 8 and 15) over a period of 36 weeks. Restaging by thoracic computed tomography (CT) scan was performed after 8, 20 and 36 weeks. At week 36 after beginning of treatment, the CT scan exhibited a substantial partial remission with a reduction of tumor volume of over 50%. The adverse effects of the therapy were very moderate with a hematotoxicity not exceeding WHO grade I and a mild 'flu-like syndrome' during the first three cycles which responded quite well to steroids. The compliance of the patient was excellent and his general condition improved significantly under therapy. Gemcitabine seems to be an active drug for the treatment of pleural mesothelioma. Compared to other active regimens it is normally very well tolerated by the patients. Because of these characteristics gemcitabine seems a suitable antineoplastic substance, especially in palliative settings. It would be worthwhile to test its activity in pleural mesotheliomas in controlled trials.