For many mesothelioma patients, the most effective chemotherapy combination is the platinum-based chemo drug cisplatin and pemetrexed (Alimta).<\/p>\n
In most cases, gemcitabine chemotherapy is only used when a patient can\u2019t tolerate cisplatin<\/a>, has an allergy, or there\u2019s some other reason the cisplatin and pemetrexed<\/a> combination shouldn\u2019t be used. Gemcitabine is not as harsh as cisplatin and some other chemotherapy drugs.<\/p>\n Gemcitabine is often combined with other chemo drugs. Studies have shown that gemcitabine in combination with other chemotherapy medications has a significantly better outcome than gemcitabine on its own. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved gemcitabine in 1996 under the brand name Gemzar for treating lung cancer and mesothelioma<\/a>.<\/p>\n Download our Free Chemotherapy Guide<\/strong> to learn about the top cancer drugs for mesothelioma, what to expect, and how to manage side effects.<\/p>\n