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Cisplatin
Cisplatin is a chemotherapy drug that was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in 1978 and is used to treat patients suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma. Cisplatin is administered when surgical procedures are not an option, and it is often used in combination with other chemotherapy drugs, including Alimta®. Manufactured by Bristol Myers Squibb, Cisplatin is also used to treat ovarian and lung cancer and is a highly effective method of mesothelioma treatment that is often recommended by oncologists.
Cisplatin is administered intravenously and may be given along with other drugs, such as anti-nausea medication and antibiotics that prevent buildup of Cisplatin within the kidneys. Your doctor will determine how often you receive Cisplatin and for how long, but patients who receive Cisplatin in tandem with Alimta® will follow a 21-day treatment cycle.
Because Cisplatin was developed three decades ago, the side effects associated with this drug are often much more severe. Side effects include damage to the kidneys, (which is often prevented by administering other drugs, such as a diuretic or sodium polystyrene sulfonate, during Cisplatin treatment) serious nausea, depleted levels of calcium, potassium and other nutrients, loss of appetite, tiredness, hair loss, and an increased risk of infection. Because cancer treatment in general has become so advanced since Cisplatin was first developed, doctors are generally able to control the unpleasant side effects associated with Cisplatin treatment in an effort to make the patient more comfortable.
Other drugs similar to Cisplatin include Carboplatin, generally used to treat cancer of the lung, head and neck, and Oxaliplatin, which is most often used to treat colorectal cancer.
As with any mesothelioma cancer drug, your doctor will decide whether or not Cisplatin is a beneficial option for treating your cancer.
Source
Cancer Research UK - Cisplatin
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=4002