Single Agent Alimta in Poor Performance Status in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Lung Cancer Clinical Trial

Official title: Single Agent Alimta in Poor Performance Status in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn how effective the drug pemetrexed (ALIMTA®) is in treating advanced NSCLC in patients with poor performance status (inability to perform every day activities without difficulty).

Objectives:

Primary Objectives:

• PS = 2 cohort: Response

• PS = 3 cohort: Descriptive

Secondary Objectives:

• Tolerability of single agent pemetrexed (Alimta®) in PS = 3 NSCLC patients

• Improved symptoms (both cohorts)

• Molecular Correlative studies (both cohorts)

• Overall survival

• Time to progression

Clinical Trial Description

Pemetrexed is designed to block enzymes in the body that are important for tumor growth. Pemetrexed is commercially approved for the treatment of NSCLC but not for poor performance status patients.

If you are found to be eligible to take part in this study, you will receive pemetrexed once every 3 weeks through a needle in your vein over about 10 minutes. Every 3 weeks is considered 1 treatment cycle. Once the treatment has started, you will return to the clinic before every treatment cycle. At these visits, you will have a physical exam, a performance status evaluation, and routine blood (about 3-4 teaspoons) and urine tests. You will have a chest x-ray and you will be asked to complete a questionnaire about how you are feeling. You will also have a CT or MRI scan after Cycle 1 and every odd cycle from then on.

You are required to take folic acid by mouth every day for 5 days before the first dose of pemetrexed and continuing until 3 weeks after your last dose of pemetrexed. You will also receive an injection of vitamin B12 into your muscle before your first dose of pemetrexed. The vitamin B12 injection will be repeated every 9 weeks until 3 weeks after your last dose of pemetrexed.

You will also to take a few low-dose steroid (dexamethasone) tablets twice a day before treatment, the day of treatment, and the day after each treatment. These will be taken to decrease the risk of rash and nausea caused by pemetrexed.

You may continue treatment with pemetrexed until your tumor grows or an unacceptable side effect occurs. You will be evaluated for symptoms 1-2 times per week while you are receiving treatment and then 2 weeks after stopping study treatment until 6 months after stopping treatment.

When you stop treatment on this study, you will have a physical exam, routine blood (3-4 teaspoons) and urine tests, and a chest x-ray. The study doctor may ask you to visit University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC) or be contacted by phone for follow-up on how you are doing.

This is an investigational study. The FDA has approved pemetrexed for the treatment of advanced NSCLC after earlier treatment with chemotherapy, and for the treatment for malignant mesothelioma in combination with cisplatin. About 70 patients will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at M. D. Anderson. ;

Study Design

Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung
• Lung Cancer
• Lung Neoplasms

• NCT number: NCT00508144
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: September 2005
• Completion date: December 2015