Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Safety and response of 5-FU and carboplatin in dogs with cancer
By Menard, Kim et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2018·Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Concurrent 5-fluorouracil and carboplatin for the treatment of canine carcinomas.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with cancer received a combination of two chemotherapy drugs, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and carboplatin, to see how well it worked and if it was safe. Out of 24 dogs treated, about 43% showed improvement, with some dogs having complete or partial responses to the treatment. While some dogs experienced mild side effects like low blood cell counts and minor gastrointestinal upset, none required hospitalization for these issues. Overall, the treatment was well tolerated, suggesting it could be a viable option for dogs with certain types of cancer.
People also search for: dog cancer treatment options · 5-fluorouracil for dogs · carboplatin side effects in dogs
Abstract
5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is used in combination chemotherapy protocols for human head and neck cancer and other epithelial neoplasms. However, a paucity of literature describing use of this drug in veterinary oncology exists, likely due to previous reports of fatal neurotoxicity in both dogs and cats, mainly due to ingestion of human creams. The primary aim of this retrospective study was to report the safety of concurrent 5-FU and carboplatin in canine carcinomas. Secondarily, we aimed to look at the efficacy of the combination using overall response rate in treated dogs. Medical records were searched from 2007 to 2017 for dogs treated with both agents; 24 dogs met inclusion criteria. Carboplatin dosages ranged from 180 to 250 mg/m(median 200 mg/m); 5-FU dosage was 150 mg/m. Fourteen dogs had myelosuppression, ranging from Grade I to asymptomatic Grade IV; thrombocytopenia was more common than neutropenia. Gastrointestinal upset was uncommon, with only seven dogs having Grade I or II nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. No cases were hospitalized for any of the above toxicities. One dog had an episode of ataxia, which could not be differentiated between otitis and 5-FU neurotoxicity. This protocol is well tolerated. Response rate in the gross disease setting was 43% (three complete responses, three partial responses). Prospective analysis of this combination protocol, and potentially 5-FU with other platinum agents, is warranted in the treatment of canine carcinomas.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30043425/