Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
L-Asparaginase treatment results and side effects in cats
By Inazumi, Haruka et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2024·Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Japan·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Efficacy and adverse events of L-Asparaginase administration as a first-line treatment for feline large-cell gastrointestinal lymphoma.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 43 cats diagnosed with large-cell gastrointestinal lymphoma (LCGIL) were treated with L-Asparaginase (L-Asp) to help induce remission. About 37% of the cats showed a positive response to the treatment, with a higher success rate in those with stomach lesions compared to those with intestinal lesions. While most cats tolerated the treatment well, some experienced side effects like decreased appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea, with a few showing more severe gastrointestinal issues. On average, the cats lived for about 150 days after treatment, indicating that L-Asp can be an effective option for managing this type of cancer in cats.
People also search for: cat lymphoma treatment · L-Asparaginase side effects in cats · feline gastrointestinal cancer prognosis
Abstract
L-Asparaginase (L-Asp) is often used to induce remission in feline large-cell gastrointestinal lymphoma (LCGIL). However, no study has evaluated the efficacy and adverse events following the initial use of this drug as a first-line treatment in feline LCGIL. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of cats with LCGIL treated with L-Asp to induce remission. This study included 43 cats. The response rate (RR) after the first administration of L-Asp was 37.2% (Complete remission: 7.0%, partial remission: 30.2%). RR was significantly higher in cases with primary gastric lesions (64.3%) than in those with primary intestinal lesions (24.1%) (P=0.018), and it was also higher in cases without anemia (57.1%) than those with anemia (15.0%) (P=0.009). The most common adverse event was hyperammonemia, which occurred in 10 of 12 cases where we could compare plasma ammonia concentrations before and after the first dose of L-Asp. Plasma phosphate concentrations were also significantly increased (P<0.001) within 24 hr after the first dose. Decreased appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea were also observed in five, three, and seven cases, respectively, and Grade 3 or higher gastrointestinal signs were observed as adverse events in three cases. The median overall survival of all cats was 150 days (range, 5-1,065 days), and the median progression-free survival was 104 days (range, 2-978 days). In conclusion, L-Asp was effective to induce remission, and severe adverse events were uncommon in feline LCGIL.
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/38825481/