Advice
Following a 2nd resubmission
pemetrexed (Alimta) is accepted for restricted use within NHS Scotland in combination with cisplatin for the first line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) other than predominantly squamous cell histology.
It is restricted to patients in whom histology has been confirmed as adenocarcinoma or large cell carcinoma.
In a planned subgroup analysis of a study comparing pemetrexed plus cisplatin with another platinum-based combination regimen, treatment with pemetrexed plus cisplatin resulted in an improvement in median survival in patients with a non-squamous (adenocarcinoma plus large cell carcinoma) histology.
Download detailed advice100KB (PDF)
Medicine details
- Medicine name:
- pemetrexed (Alimta)
- SMC ID:
- 531/09
- Indication:
- first line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer
- Pharmaceutical company
- Eli Lilly and Company Ltd
- BNF chapter
- Malignant disease and immunosuppression
- Submission type
- Resubmission
- Status
- Restricted
- Date advice published
- 08 February 2010