Association of blood monocyte and lymphocyte count and disease-free interval in dogs with osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Identification of biomarkers that predict outcomes in dogs with osteosarcoma (OSA) would be valuable to veterinarians and owners. Leukocyte numbers in peripheral blood are associated with outcomes in some types of cancer in humans. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that increased numbers of monocytes would be associated with reduced disease-free interval (DFI) in dogs with OSA. ANIMALS: Medical data from 69 dogs with appendicular OSA treated with amputation and chemotherapy were selected for study. METHODS: Retrospective study. Statistical associations were assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis. Information about DFI and leukogram values, tumor location, and serum alkaline phosphatase was abstracted from the medical record. RESULTS: Higher numbers of circulating monocytes (>0.4×10(3) cells/µL) and lymphocytes (>1.0×10(3) cells/µL) before treatment were found to be significantly (P<.05) associated with shorter DFI in dogs with OSA. Other parameters associated with poor outcomes were increased alkaline phosphatase, primary tumor location, and age. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: These results indicated that pretreatment evaluation of monocyte and lymphocyte counts provided prognostic information for dogs with appendicular OSA. Notably, most animals in this study had monocyte counts within the normal reference range, indicating that variations within the reference range of leukocyte values might also have prognostic significance.

Curative-intent radiation therapy as a treatment modality for appendicular and axial osteosarcoma: a preliminary retrospective evaluation of 14 dogs with the disease.

Canine osteosarcoma is a common bone malignancy associated with aggressive local disease and rapid metastasis. Current local therapeutic modalities do not provide curative-intent options for dogs with significant orthopaedic or neurologic disease, dogs which are denied amputation or dogs with non-resectable lesions. The goals of this retrospective study included the evaluation of local control, survival, and time to the development of metastases in 14 dogs treated with curative-intent radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Median local disease control was 202 days (79-777). Median survival was 209 days (79-781). Median time to metastasis was 314 days (7-645). No significant correlation was found between the outcome and pre-treatment alkaline phosphatase levels, radiographic appearance, tumour site, radiation dose or chemotherapeutics administered. In these dogs, full-course radiation therapy in conjunction with chemotherapy was not found to yield equivalent results to the standard of care options.

Adjuvant chemotherapy using cisplatin by subcutaneous administration.

BACKGROUND-MATERIALS: Based on previous polymer release experience, this study was conducted to evaluate the toxicity, efficacy and systemic absorption of cisplatin administered subcutaneously in dogs. METHODS-RESULTS-CONCLUSIONS: Fifty to 70 mg/m2 cisplatin was suspended in saline and injected subcutaneously in 6 dogs as an adjunct to their primary treatment for sarcoma. Gastrointestinal, bone marrow, renal or local tissue toxicity occurred following the first (dogs 1-3,5,6) and second (dogs 1 and 2) treatments. Low, yet measurable levels of platinum were present in serum through day 14 following injection in all dogs. Due to the toxicity seen, all further planned treatments were discontinued and adjuvant regimes were completed with intravenous carboplatin. Although slow systemic absorption of platinum can occur following subcutaneous administration, the degree of toxicity seen following this treatment would indicate that a drug delivery vehicle may be necessary if cisplatin is to be administered for sustained release and adsorption.

Evaluation of single-agent chemotherapy for treatment of clinically evident osteosarcoma metastases in dogs: 45 cases (1987-1991).

A study was undertaken to determine the effect chemotherapy had when used to treat 45 dogs with measurable metastatic osteosarcoma. The primary tumor was histologically confirmed as an osteosarcoma in each case. Thirty-nine dogs had the primary tumor surgically removed. Twenty-four of these dogs were treated adjunctively with cisplatin (70 mg/m2 of body surface, IV, q 3 weeks; median 2 doses, range 1 to 6 doses) prior to the onset of metastasis. The remaining 6 dogs from which the primary tumor was not surgically removed were diagnosed as having metastatic osteosarcoma in addition to the primary tumor on initial examination. The median time from initial examination until the development of metastatic disease was 115 days (range, 27 to 1,199 days). The location of the metastatic disease was lungs (31 dogs), bone (3 dogs), soft tissue (1 dog), and multiple sites including lungs, bone, and soft tissue sites (10 dogs). The metastatic lesions were confirmed by pretreatment biopsy (n = 8) or cytologic evaluation (n = 2) in 10 cases and at necropsy in 27 cases. The remaining 8 cases were diagnosed radiographically as multiple metastatic lesions in the lungs consistent with metastatic osteosarcoma. The metastatic disease was treated with cisplatin in 31 dogs (70 mg/m2, IV, q 3 weeks; median 2 doses, range 1 to 4 doses), doxorubicin in 11 dogs (30 mg/m2, IV, q 3 weeks; median 2 doses, range 1 to 3 doses), and mitoxantrone in 3 dogs (5 mg/m2, IV, q 3 weeks; median 2 doses, range 1 to 3 doses).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evaluation of a one-hour saline diuresis protocol for administration of cisplatin to dogs.

A study was undertaken to determine the toxic effects of cisplatin, an antineoplastic agent, when administered immediately after a 1-hour saline diuresis. Four treatments with cisplatin (70 mg/m2 of body surface, q 3 wk) were administered IV to 6 healthy dogs over a 20-minute period after 0.9% NaCl (saline) solution was administered IV for 1 hour at a volume of 132 ml (kg)0.75. Each dog vomited at least once within 8 hours after each treatment was administered. Clinical status, body weight, and food consumption were normal throughout the 12-week study for 5 of the 6 dogs. The sixth dog developed acute renal failure and became acutely blind and deaf within 3 days after the fourth treatment with cisplatin. Serum electrolyte, creatinine, and urea nitrogen values remained within established normal limits in all dogs immediately prior to each treatment, and in 5 of 6 dogs evaluated 3 weeks after the final treatment. The serum creatinine value (3.3 mg/dl) obtained from the Beagle euthanatized 2 weeks after the fourth treatment was above established normal values. Despite normalcy for all but 1 of the creatinine values, serum creatinine concentration obtained 3 weeks after the final treatment with cisplatin was significantly (P = 0.0001) higher than pretreatment values. When compared with data from all other evaluation periods, significant decreases in glomerular filtration rate, as determined by exogenous (P less than or equal to 0.0001) and endogenous (P less than or equal to 0.0001) creatinine clearance testing, were identified 3 weeks after the fourth treatment with cisplatin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)