In 2004, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved Alimta, the first approved mesothelioma drug. This medication is intended for treatment of malignant mesothelioma and is generally used in conjunction with Cisplatin, a platinum compound which has been used as a general cancer treatment since its FDA approval in 1979. Used in combination, the drugs attack the cancerous cell growth. Some mesothelioma victims are too weak to be treated with surgery or in a later stage cancer, resulting in chemotherepy being the best option.

Typical chemotherapy treatments involve administration of the drug 2-4 times a month, for an extended timeframe. With mesothelioma drug treatments, many doctors experiment with a combination of chemotherapy drugs to try to achieve the desired results. The following are other mesothelioma drugs that may be used:

* Vinorelbine, typically used to treat breast cancer and small cell lung cancer, was approved by the FDA in 1994.

* Onconase, also known as Ranpirnase, attack malignant cancer cells and is selective in the cells it impacts.

New drugs are constantly being tested for their effectiveness for mesothelioma treatments and other cancers. Talk to your doctor about the various treatment options and see what is best for you.