Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Toxic side effects of gemcitabine with radiation in dogs and cats
By LeBlanc, Amy K et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2004·Florida Veterinary Specialists, United States·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Unexpected toxicity following use of gemcitabine as a radiosensitizer in head and neck carcinomas: a veterinary radiation therapy oncology group pilot study.
Plain-English summary
Fifteen dogs with nasal cancer and ten cats with oral cancer were treated with a chemotherapy drug called gemcitabine while undergoing radiation therapy. Unfortunately, many of the pets experienced serious side effects, including issues with their blood and normal tissues, which led to dose reductions or delays in treatment for most of them. The study suggests that the doses and schedule used for gemcitabine may not be safe or effective for these pets. More research is needed to find the right dosage and timing for using gemcitabine alongside radiation therapy.
People also search for: dog nasal cancer treatment · cat oral cancer chemotherapy side effects · gemcitabine for pets toxicity
Abstract
Gemcitabine (2',2'-difluorodeoxycytidine) was given intravenously twice weekly to 10 cats with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 15 dogs with nasal carcinoma undergoing radiotherapy as a radiosensitizing agent. The average total radiation dose was 50 Gy for dogs and 54 Gy for cats given Monday-Friday (planned dose of 54 and 57 Gy, respectively). Dogs received an average of five doses of gemcitabine beginning at 50 mg/m2, and cats received an average of five doses of gemcitabine beginning at 25 mg/m2. Twelve of 15 dogs and five of 10 cats required chemotherapy dose reduction or postponement because of hematologic or normal tissue toxicity. The results herein do not support the use of gemcitabine at the studied dose and schedule, as significant hematologic and local tissue toxicity was observed in the studied patients. Pharmacokinetic data are necessary to best define the efficacy and optimal dose and schedule of gemcitabine in combination with traditional radiotherapy.
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/15487572/