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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Chemo options and survival for dogs with metastatic splenic

By Marconato, Laura et al.·Published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology·2019·Centro Oncologico Veterinario Bologna Italy, Italy·View original on Crossref

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Original publication title: Adjuvant anthracycline‐based vs metronomic chemotherapy vs no medical treatment for dogs with metastatic splenic hemangiosarcoma: A multi‐institutional retrospective study of the Italian Society of Veterinary Oncology

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A group of dogs with advanced splenic hemangiosarcoma (a type of cancer) underwent surgery to remove their spleens, followed by different treatments: some received a strong chemotherapy (doxorubicin), others got a lower-dose chemotherapy, and some had no further treatment. The dogs that received the strong chemotherapy lived longer and had a longer time before their cancer progressed compared to those who received the lower-dose treatment or no treatment at all. However, the dogs on the stronger chemotherapy also experienced more side effects. Overall, while the stronger treatment can extend life, pet owners should weigh the potential side effects against the benefits.

People also search for: dog hemangiosarcoma treatment · splenic cancer in dogs · chemotherapy side effects in dogs

Abstract

AbstractTreatment options for dogs with metastatic (stage III) splenic hemangiosarcoma are limited. A doxorubicin‐based chemotherapy regimen is commonly administered; however, there are no published data to support this practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of maximum‐tolerated‐dose chemotherapy (MTD), metronomic chemotherapy (MC) and no adjuvant treatment on outcome in dogs with stage III splenic hemangiosarcoma undergoing splenectomy. Medical records of dogs with stage III splenic hemangiosarcoma that underwent splenectomy followed by MTD chemotherapy, MC or no adjuvant treatment were retrieved. Time to progression (TTP), survival time (ST) and toxicity were evaluated. One hundred three dogs were identified: 23 received adjuvant MTD, 38 MC and 42 were not medically treated. Overall median TTP and ST were 50 (95% confidence interval [CI], 39‐61) and 55 days (95% CI, 43‐66), respectively. Dogs treated with adjuvant MTD had a significantly longer TTP and ST compared with dogs receiving MC (median TTP, 134 vs 52 days, P = .025; median ST, 140 vs 58 days, P = .023, respectively). Dogs treated by splenectomy only had the shortest median TTP (28 days) and ST (40 days). However, treatment‐related adverse events (AEs) were significantly more frequent in the MTD group (P = .017). The outcome for dogs with metastatic splenic hemangiosarcoma is poor. While MTD showed greater efficacy compared to MC, toxicity was higher in this group. Treatment‐related AEs need to be carefully balanced against this modest survival prolongation when offering adjuvant MTD to dogs with advanced stage hemangiosarcoma.

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Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1111/vco.12519