Serum Lactate Dehydrogenase as a Biomarker of Disease Burden and Chemotherapy Response in Canine High-Grade Multicentric Lymphoma

Abstract

Simple Summary Lymphoma is a common type of cancer in dogs. Blood tests that track the disease during treatment are helpful for veterinarians. One such test measures an enzyme called lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which can be higher in cancer cases, but its significance in dogs with lymphoma is not fully explored. This study found that dogs with aggressive lymphoma had much higher LDH levels compared to healthy dogs. After chemotherapy, LDH levels dropped, especially in dogs that responded well to treatment. Dogs that went into complete remission (CR) often had their LDH levels return to normal. Additionally, dogs with lower platelet counts had higher LDH levels at diagnosis and larger decreases during treatment. Overall, LDH is a simple, inexpensive blood test that can help monitor disease burden and treatment response in dogs with high-grade lymphoma.