Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Imatinib treatment for mast cell tumors in dogs and cats
By Bonkobara, Makoto·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2015·Department of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Dysregulation of tyrosine kinases and use of imatinib in small animal practice.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog or cat with a type of cancer called a mast cell tumor (MCT) may benefit from a medication called imatinib, which targets specific mutations in the tumor. About 30% of dogs and 70% of cats with MCTs have a mutation in a gene called KIT, which can make them respond better to this treatment. Imatinib has shown promising results in shrinking tumors with these mutations and has been tolerated well by pets. If your pet has been diagnosed with MCT or other related cancers, discussing genetic testing and the potential use of imatinib with your veterinarian could be beneficial.
People also search for: dog mast cell tumor treatment · cat cancer medication imatinib · canine cancer genetic testing
Abstract
Imatinib inhibits the activity of several tyrosine kinases, including BCR-ABL, KIT and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR). Dysregulation of KIT is found in mast cell tumours (MCTs) and KIT is mutated in approximately 30% and 70% of canine and feline MCTs, respectively. KIT mutations have also been reported in canine and feline gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs), canine acute myeloid leukaemia and canine melanoma. In addition, BCR-ABL and PDGFR mutations have been found in canine leukaemia and haemangiosarcoma, respectively. Imatinib has anti-tumour activity with tolerable toxicity towards a certain subset of MCTs in dogs and cats. Favourable clinical responses are likely to be associated with the presence of KIT mutation. Anti-tumour activity of imatinib has also been demonstrated in canine GISTs with a KIT mutation and in feline hypereosinophilic syndrome; however, to date only one of each of these cases has been reported. In conclusion, analysis of KIT mutations appears to provide valuable data for individual treatment with imatinib in dogs and cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25592261/