The efficacy and safety of weekly vinorelbine in relapsed malignant pleural mesothelioma

Lung Cancer. 2008 May 15. [Epub ahead of print] [Link]

Stebbing J, Powles T, McPherson K, Shamash J, Wells P, Sheaff MT, Slater S, Rudd RM, Fennell D, Steele JP.

Department of Medical Oncology, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE, UK.

Abstract

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rapidly progressive invariably lethal tumor. Treatment options remain limited and the outcome in relapsed disease is poor warranting new therapeutic options. Following our previous experience in the first-line setting, we conducted a phase 2 open-label non-comparative study to assess the safety and efficacy of weekly vinorelbine chemotherapy, each cycle consisting of 30mg/m(2) for 6 weeks, in patients with previous exposure to chemotherapy. In 63 individuals with relapsed MPM who had not received previous vinorelbine, we observed an objective response rate of 16% and an overall survival of 9.6 months (95% confidence interval 7.3-11.8 months). The main grade III/IV toxicity observed was neutropenia and toxicity was similar to weekly vinorelbine when used in the first-line setting. Weekly vinorelbine appeared to have a reasonable response rate with an acceptable toxicity profile in the second-line treatment of MPM. Its use should be prospectively evaluated in a randomised trial in the first or second-line therapy of MPM.