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This page contains brief information about methotrexate and a collection of links to more information from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

US Brand Name(s):		Abitrexate
		Folex PFS
		Folex
		Methotrexate LPF
		Mexate-AQ
		Mexate
		Rheumatrex
FDA Approved:		Yes

Methotrexate is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used by itself to treat the following types of gestational trophoblastic tumors:

• Chorioadenoma destruens.
• Choriocarcinoma.
• Hydatidiform mole.

Methotrexate is also approved to be used alone or with other drugs to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that has spread to the central nervous system (CNS) or to keep it from spreading there, and to treat the following:

• Breast cancer.
• Certain types of head and neck cancer.
• Lung cancer.
• Advanced non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
• Advanced mycosis fungoides (a type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma).
• Osteosarcoma that has not spread to other parts of the body, following surgery to remove the primary tumor.

Methotrexate is also approved to treat the following non-cancer conditions:

• Rheumatoid arthritis in certain adults with severe, active disease, or in children with a certain type of rheumatoid arthritis, who have not gotten better with other treatment or who cannot take other drugs.
• Severe psoriasis (a skin condition) that has not gotten better with other types of treatment.

In addition to the uses that have been approved by the FDA, methotrexate is sometimes used alone or with other drugs to treat other conditions or types of cancer. Methotrexate continues to be studied in the treatment of many types of cancer.

Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.

Clinical Trial Results: Ovarian Suppression May Be as Effective as Chemotherapy in High-Risk Breast Cancer (12/06/2006) - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Age and Type of Chemotherapy Affect Women's Chances of Menstruating after Breast Cancer Treatment (02/27/2006) - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Young Children with Medulloblastoma May Be Able to Avoid Post-Surgery Radiotherapy (03/21/2005) - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Pre-Surgical Chemotherapy May Improve Survival in Bladder Cancer (08/28/2003) - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: High Doses of Chemotherapy Drug Methotrexate Leads to Better Survival for Children with Leukemia and Lymphoma (05/14/2001) - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Medline Plus Information on Methotrexate - A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:

• warnings about this drug,
• what this drug is used for and how it is used,
• what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
• what you should know about this drug before using it,
• other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
• possible side effects.

Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This NLM patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.

Clinical Trials for Methotrexate - Check for trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry now accepting patients.

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