Cisplatin With or Without Raltitrexed in Treating Patients With Malignant Mesothelioma of the Pleura

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed malignant pleural mesothelioma
• •No CNS metastases
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •Over 18
• •Performance status:
• •ZUBROD, ECOG, WHO 0-2
• •Life expectancy:
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Hemoglobin at least 10.0 g/dL
• •WBC at least 4,000/mm\^3
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin less than 1.46 mg/dL
• •Albumin at least 3.0 g/dL
• •ALAT/ASAT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (less than 5 times ULN if liver involvement)
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine less than 1.69 mg/dL
• •Creatinine clearance at least 65 mL/min
• •Cardiovascular:
• •Not specified
• •Pulmonary:
• •Not specified
• •Other:
• •No other prior or concurrent malignancies within past 5 years except adequately treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
• •No prior malignant melanoma, hypernephroma or breast carcinoma
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study
• •No uncontrolled infections
• •No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that precludes study compliance
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •No concurrent immunotherapy before first disease progression
• •Chemotherapy:
• •No prior systemic or intracavitary cytotoxic chemotherapy
• •No other prior or concurrent chemotherapy before first disease progression
• •No prior or concurrent pleurodesis with cytotoxic drugs (e.g., bleomycin)
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •No concurrent hormonal therapy except corticosteroids before first disease progression
• •Radiotherapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to target lesion and progression observed
• •Concurrent palliative radiotherapy to painful lesions allowed only if target lesion outside of irradiated field
• •Surgery:
• •Prior surgery allowed if followed by disease progression
• •Other:
• •At least 1 month since prior investigational drugs