[Prognosis of canine oral (gingival) squamous cell carcinoma after surgical therapy. A retrospective analysis in 40 patients]

OBJECTIVE

Retrospective analysis of dogs with gingival squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) surgically treated using jaw resection. Material and me- thods: A total of 40 dogs were enrolled in the study. Dogs with incomplete tumour resection or metastases were subjected to adjuvant chemotherapy using carboplatin. Breed, age, tumour localisation, postsurgical complications, survival times and prognostic factors were evaluated.

RESULTS

There were no breed predispositions. The median age was 9.5 years (mean 8.6 years; range 0.5-15.5 years). At the time of presentation, two dogs (5%) had lymph node metastases (N1). The median survival time (ST) of all the patients was 44.8 months. In 15 patients, the tumour was located in the maxilla, whereas 25 dogs had a mandibular tumour location. The median ST in dogs with maxillary tumours was 39 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 24 months), while patients with maxillary tumours survived a median of 43 months (95% CI 33-70 months). There was no significant difference in the ST in patients with maxillary versus man- dibular tumours (p = 0.985). On multivariate analysis, only the tumour stage was found to be significantly associated with survival (p = 0.0047). Patients with stage N0 survived a median of 44 months (95% CI 36-80 months). The two dogs with lymph node metastasis (N1) sur- vived 18 and 70 months following jaw resection and carboplatin chemotherapy, respectively. According to the histological findings, tumour resection was incomplete in five patients. These dogs received adjuvant carboplatin chemotherapy, resulting in an ST of between 6 and 146 months.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Prognosis depends on the tumour stage, while for complete local excision of the affected jaw segment a good prognosis can be given and the majority of the patients can be cured. The supposedly more malignant behaviour of gingival SCCs located in the caudal aspects of the oral cavity could not be confirmed. Patients with metastasis of the local lymph nodes can achieve acceptable survival times. Jaw resections have low complication rates and a good functional outcome.

Models of short bowel syndrome in pigs: a technical review

BACKGROUND

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is still a life-threatening disease in both children and adults. Although the therapeutic options are improving, challenges still remain, and to overcome these challenges is a major focus of SBS research today. In order to simulate anatomical and physiological conditions similar to those in humans for research, porcine models of SBS are often used. Various approaches for generating SBS models have been described in the literature.

METHODS/RESULTS

In this work, we present a review of different types of porcine models of SBS and outline the differences between those models regarding types of animals, surgical procedures, monitoring, and methods of assessment.

CONCLUSION

The aim of this study was to select the most suitable SBS model regarding the purpose of the research.

Determination of MDR1 gene expression for prediction of chemotherapy tolerance and treatment outcome in dogs with lymphoma

The multidrug resistance gene 1(MDR1) expression levels were analysed in 27 dogs with different types of malignant lymphomas receiving a standard chemotherapy protocol. Blood samples were used for MDR1 real-time PCR expression analysis. Treatment tolerance and outcome were evaluated on a regular basis by clinical examination and client questioning. Dogs developing severe adverse effects under treatment showed significantly lower basal MDR1 gene expression levels when compared with those who tolerated the drugs well. In the longitudinal MDR1 gene expression analysis during treatment, four dogs showed a greater than two-fold MDR1 up-regulation, compared to baseline expression. All four of these dogs, but none of the others, showed disease progression. In conclusion, basal and follow-up MDR1 gene expression levels could be of predictive value for the occurrence of severe adverse drug reactions and/or the development of MDR during chemotherapy for lymphoma in dogs.

Clinical efficacy and safety of a water-soluble micellar paclitaxel (Paccal Vet) in canine mastocytomas

OBJECTIVE

To determine the clinical efficacy and safety of a cremophor-free formulation of paclitaxel (Paccal Vet, Oasmia Pharmaceuticals) in dogs with mast cell tumours.

METHODS

Paccal Vet was administered at a median dose of 145 (range, 135 to 150) mg/m(2) intravenously once every 21 days for three cycles to 29 dogs with macroscopic grade 2 or 3 mast cell tumour. Efficacy was assessed by tumour response (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.0) and performance status score. Progression-free survival, quality of life and safety/adverse events were also evaluated. Clinical safety was assessed by clinicopathological analyses and recording of adverse events.

RESULTS

Complete or partial response was observed in 59% of dogs. Performance status score remained constant or improved for 20 dogs and decreased by one grade for 9 dogs. Median time to progression was 247 (range, 42 to 268) days. Expected, transient frequently subclinical adverse events (primarily grade 3/4 neutropenia and grade 1/2 leukopenia) were observed in the majority of dogs. Nine dogs were euthanased and one dog died due to disease progression.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Paccal Vet appears to be a clinically safe and effective treatment for canine mast cell tumours. Further controlled confirmatory investigation is warranted.

[Combined palliative hypofractionated radiation and carboplatin chemotherapy of intranasal tumours in dogs]

OBJECTIVE

Combination therapy of intranasal tumours in dogs with palliative 60 cobalt radiation and carboplatin chemotherapy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Twenty-five dogs with intranasal tumours were treated in the Hofheim Veterinary Hospital (Germany) from 2004 to 2006 with a total radiation dose of 24Gy (3 fractions of 8 Gy on days 0, 7 and 21) and five doses of Carboplatin (270-300 mg/m² BSA i.v. every 21-28 days).

RESULTS

In 88% patients, clinical symptoms subsided partially or completely resulting in improvement in quality of life. Computed tomography revealed partial (5/25) or complete (5/25) tumour remissions. Chemotherapy was well tolerated. Radiation therapy caused no or minimal side effects except for 3 dogs (12%), which experienced serious ocular side effects resulting in loss of vision of the affected eye and one dog with epileptic seizures. Survival times ranged from 10-639 days with a median of 156 days. There was no statistically significant correlation between the parameters breed, age, sex, brain invasion or tumour stage and survival time or progression free interval. Survival time and progression free interval were significantly correlated with the degree of tumour remission.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

It can be concluded from this study that palliative radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy results in excellent palliation of clinical symptoms and acceptable survival times. There was no advantage of combined therapy (radiation with carboplatin) when compared to literature data on results of radiation therapy alone.