Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vinblastine treatment reduces mast cell tumors in dogs
By Rassnick, K M et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2008·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Efficacy of vinblastine for treatment of canine mast cell tumors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 51 dogs with non-removable mast cell tumors (a type of skin cancer) were treated with vinblastine, a chemotherapy drug, to see how well it worked. The dogs received either a lower dose (2.0 mg/m2) or a higher dose (3.5 mg/m2) of the medication. Some dogs showed a partial response, meaning their tumors shrank, but the overall success rate was lower than with other treatment combinations. While some dogs experienced low white blood cell counts, serious side effects were rare. Vinblastine showed some effectiveness, but further studies are needed to improve treatment outcomes.
People also search for: dog mast cell tumor treatment · vinblastine for dogs · canine skin cancer chemotherapy
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The optimal dosage and clinical efficacy of vinblastine (VBL) for treatment of mast cell tumors (MCTs) in dogs has not been established. HYPOTHESIS: Single-agent VBL has antitumor activity against MCTs in dogs. ANIMALS: Fifty-one dogs with nonresectable grade II or III cutaneous MCTs. METHODS: Prospective, open clinical trial. Dogs were systematically allocated (by hospital record number) to receive IV treatment with VBL at a dosage of 2.0 mg/m2 (weekly for 4 treatments then biweekly for 4 treatments; VBL 2.0) or treatment with VBL at a dosage of 3.5 mg/m2 (biweekly for 5 treatments; VBL 3.5). The primary outcome measure was reduction in tumor size. RESULTS: Twenty-five dogs were allocated to the VBL 2.0 group and 26 were allocated to the VBL 3.5 group. In the VBL 2.0 group, 3 (12%) had a partial response (PR) for a median of 77 days (range, 48-229 days). Overall response rate in the VBL 3.5 group was 27%. One dog (4%) had a complete response for 63 days and 6 dogs (23%) had a PR for a median of 28 days (range, 28-78 days). Toxicoses were uncommon in the VBL 2.0 group. Twelve (46%) dogs in the VBL 3.5 group had < 500 neutrophils/microL 7 days after treatment; 2 dogs with neutropenia developed concurrent fevers. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: VBL, when used as a single-agent, has activity against MCTs in dogs although the response rate is lower than those reported for VBL-containing combination protocols. Further, findings suggest VBL at a dosage of 3.5 mg/m2 should be considered for use in future phase II/III trials.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19000249/