Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs, treatment, and survival in dogs with malignant mesothelioma
By Moberg, Hanne Larsen et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2022·Department of Clinical Sciences and Services, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical presentation, treatment and outcome of canine malignant mesothelioma: A retrospective study of 34 cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with a rare and aggressive cancer called malignant mesothelioma were treated to manage symptoms like rapid breathing and difficulty breathing caused by fluid buildup in the chest. Most of the dogs received chemotherapy, with some getting a subcutaneous port for easier treatment access. While about 37% of the dogs showed a reduction in fluid after three weeks, the overall survival time was around 195 days. Dogs that received chemotherapy lived longer, averaging 234 days, compared to just 29 days for those who did not. Unfortunately, the long-term outlook for these dogs remains poor, and fluid buildup is likely to recur.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · canine malignant mesothelioma treatment · chemotherapy for dog cancer · dog cancer survival rates
Abstract
Canine malignant mesothelioma (CMM) is a rare and aggressive tumour associated with a poor prognosis. Limited information is available regarding effective treatment options and prognostic factors. The purpose of this retrospective case series was to describe the clinical presentation, treatment and survival in a cohort of dogs with this disease and to investigate possible prognostic factors. Thirty-four dogs were included. Tachypnoea and dyspnoea due to pleural effusion were the most common presenting clinical signs. Twenty-two dogs had a subcutaneous access port placed and 25 dogs were treated with intracavitary and/or intravenous chemotherapy. The main protocols used were single-agent 5-FU (n = 14) and carboplatin single-agent or alternated with mitoxantrone (n = 10). The overall response rate (defined as more than 25% reduction in effusion volume) to chemotherapy treatment was 37% after 3-weeks and 24% after 15-weeks. The median survival time (MST) for all dogs was 195 days (95% CI 53-324). MST was 234 days for dogs receiving chemotherapy and 29 days for dogs not receiving chemotherapy. The 1-year survival rate was 22% for all dogs. Treatment with chemotherapy was the only significant prognostic factor associated with survival (p = .001). Further studies are needed to determine the optimal treatment approach for malignant mesothelioma in dogs. Nevertheless, effusion recurrence should be expected and the prognosis for these patients in the long-term is poor.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34647420/