Retrospective Evaluation of Melphalan, Vincristine, and Cytarabine Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Relapsed Canine Lymphoma.

Dogs diagnosed with multicentric lymphoma often relapse following induction therapy within the first year of treatment. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerability of a novel drug combination using melphalan, vincristine, and cytarabine (MOC) for the treatment of relapsed lymphoma. On day 1, dogs were treated with vincristine (0.5-0.6 mg/m2 IV) and cytarabine (300 mg/m2 IV over 4-6 hr or subcutaneously over 2 days). On day 7, dogs were treated with melphalan (20 mg/m2per os). This 2 wk protocol was repeated for at least three cycles or until treatment failure. Twenty-six dogs were treated with MOC and met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-three dogs had toxicity data, and all experienced adverse events with the majority graded as mild. The overall response rate was 38%, which included 19% of dogs who achieved a complete response. The median progression-free survival was 29 days (range 1-280 days). The overall clinical benefit was 65% for a median of 37 days (range 33-280 days). MOC is a safe treatment option for relapsed lymphoma in dogs.

Fasting reduces the incidence of vincristine-associated adverse events in dogs.

Fasting has been shown to decrease chemotherapy-associated adverse events (AEs), in part through insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) reduction, and may induce a protective effect on normal cells during chemotherapy treatment in mice and people. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of fasting on constitutional, bone marrow and gastrointestinal (GI) AEs, and serum glucose, IGF-1 and insulin levels in dogs receiving vincristine. The study was a prospective, crossover clinical trial in tumour-bearing dogs. Dogs were randomized to be fasted for 24 to 28 hours prior to and 6 hours following their first or second vincristine treatment, and fed normally for the alternate dose. A significant reduction in nausea, anorexia, lethargy and serum insulin was observed when dogs were fasted; however, no significant differences were found in other GI symptoms, neutrophil count, serum glucose or IGF-1. Fasting prior to vincristine therapy is a safe and effective treatment modality that helped mitigate constitutional and GI AEs in tumour-bearing dogs.

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma associated with a benign hair follicle tumor in a dog.

A rare presentation of an extraskeletal osteosarcoma, suspected to have evolved from chronic inflammation associated with a benign hair follicle tumor in a dog is described. The patient was treated with surgical excision, carboplatin, and toceranib. The patient had an extended disease-free interval and a survival time of 45.4 months.

Ostéosarcome extra-squelettique associé avec une tumeur bénigne d'un follicule pileux chez un chien. On décrit la rare présentation d'un ostéosarcome extra-squelettique, suspecté d'avoir évolué à partir d'une inflammation chronique associée à une tumeur bénigne d'un follicule pileux chez un chien. Le patient fut traité avec excision chirurgicale, carboplatine et toceranib. Le patient eut un intervalle prolongé exempt de maladie et un temps de survie de 45,4 mois.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).