Safety of dose-reduced pemetrexed in patients with renal insufficiency

Pemetrexed has been shown to be effective in the treatment of advanced and metastatic nonsquamous nonsmall cell lung cancer. In this population, renal insufficiency is common; however, pemetrexed is not recommended in patients with a creatinine clearance (CrCl) < 45 ml/min due to increased myelosuppression reported in phase I trials. The primary objective of this study is to determine the safety of dose-reduced pemetrexed in patients with a CrCl < 45 ml/min.

This is a retrospective case series describing the incidence of grade 3 or higher toxicity in patients with CrCl < 45 ml/min treated with dose-reduced pemetrexed at The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute at The Ohio State University.

A total of eighteen patients were included. Seven (39%) patients experienced a grade ≥ 3 toxicity. Only 18% of administrations led to a grade ≥ 3 toxicity. Four (22%) patients had grade ≥ 3 hematologic toxicity; three of which were receiving concomitant platinum agents. The fourth patient had a CrCl < 30 ml/min. No patients receiving single-agent pemetrexed with a CrCl > 30 ml/min experienced grade ≥ 3 hematologic toxicity.

Dose-adjusted pemetrexed may be cautiously administered to patients with a CrCl between 30 and 45 ml/min. Extra caution is warranted in patients receiving concomitant chemotherapy with a platinum agent as well as those with a CrCl < 30 ml/min. Pemetrexed in combination with a platinum agent should not be routinely recommended for patients with a CrCl < 30 ml/min.