Pemetrexed disodium for the treatment of NSCLC: an update.

Pemetrexed disodium is a multitargeted antifolate cytotoxic chemotherapy agent approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma, and in August 2004 for second-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In September 2008, the FDA also approved pemetrexed and cisplatin as first-line therapy for NSCLC. Pemetrexed is also no longer recommended for treatment of NSCLC with squamous cell carcinoma histology. Pemetrexed is currently being tested in clinical trials as part of second-line combination, first-line, adjuvant and maintenance therapies.