Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
DMAC chemotherapy results and side effects in dogs with relapsed
By Parsons-Doherty, Melissa et al.Ā·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienneĀ·2014Ā·Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre (Parsons-Doherty, CanadaĀ·View original on PubMed ā
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research ā every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work ā
Original publication title: The efficacy and adverse event profile of dexamethasone, melphalan, actinomycin D, and cytosine arabinoside (DMAC) chemotherapy in relapsed canine lymphoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with relapsed lymphoma were treated with a chemotherapy combination called DMAC, which includes dexamethasone, melphalan, actinomycin D, and cytosine arabinoside. Out of 86 dogs, 43% showed some level of improvement, with 16% achieving complete remission. However, many dogs experienced side effects, including low platelet counts in 41% of cases, which can be serious. The average time before the cancer progressed again was about 24 days. While this treatment can help some dogs, the side effects may limit its use.
People also search for: dog lymphoma treatment options Ā· side effects of chemotherapy in dogs Ā· dog cancer remission rates
Abstract
In this retrospective study, a chemotherapy protocol using dexamethasone, melphalan, actinomycin D, and cytosine arabinoside (DMAC) was evaluated for efficacy and adverse event profile as a first line rescue protocol in 86 client-owned dogs previously treated with a CHOP-based protocol. Forty-three dogs (43%) achieved remission (16% complete remission, 27% partial remission), and 57% were non-responders. The median overall progression-free survival (PFS) was 24 days. Adverse events included thrombocytopenia in 41% of dogs, neutropenia in 17% of dogs, and gastrointestinal toxicity in 13% of dogs. Overall, 16% (13/79) dogs experienced grade III to IV thrombocytopenia, 8% (6/74) dogs grade III to IV neutropenia and 1% (1/79) dogs grade III to IV gastrointestinal toxicity. The efficacy of the DMAC protocol is similar to that of other rescue protocols in dogs with relapsed lymphoma but is associated with shorter PFS. The main toxicity is thrombocytopenia, which may limit treatment.
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 āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24489398/