Giorgio V. Scagliotti, MD, PhD, head of the Thoracic Oncology Unit, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, San Luigi Hospital, Orbassano, Italy, explains that pemetrexed (Alimta) showed some cytotoxic activity in the cells of multiple nonsquamous histologies.

Scagliotti believes this information provides a way to broadly personalize treatment by excluding patients that will not benefit pemetrexed.

Some molecular aberrations resulted as part of the differential activity of premetrexed. These aberrations may be caused by the drugs mechanism of action; particularly the inhibition of the thymidylate synthase enzyme, but this area still needs to be investigated further.