Treatment of Dogs with Lymphoma Using a 12-Week, Maintenance-Free Combination Chemotherapy Protocol

Simon, D.
Nolte, I.
Eberle, N.
Abbrederis, N.
Killich, M.
Hirschberger, J.

From the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Germany (Simon, Nolte, Eberle); and the Small Animal Medical Clinic, Veterinary Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany (Abbrederis, Killich, Hirschberger). Presented in part at the 15th Annual Congress of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ECVIM), Glasgow, United Kingdom; Sept. 1-3, 2005.

Reprint requests: Daniela Simon, Dr. med. vet., Dipl. ECVÍMCA (Internal Medicine & Oncology), Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bischofsholer Damm 15, D-30173 Hannover, Germany; e-mail: Daniela.[email protected].

Submitted October 17, 2005; Revised December 21, 2005; Accepted January 20, 2006.

Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 20(4):p 948-954, July 2006.

Background: Treatment of lymphoma in dogs by long-term chemotherapy has favorable results. However, the efficacy of short-term, maintenance-free treatment protocols on remission and survival times in dogs has not been determined.

Hypothesis: That treatment using a 12-week chemotherapy protocol would be associated with satisfactory treatment outcome in dogs with lymphoma.

Animals: 77 dogs with histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of lymphoma.

Methods: Prospective clinical trial in which dogs were treated with a 12-week chemotherapy protocol consisting of L-asparaginase, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisolone.

Results: Complete remission rate was 76.3%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that clinical substage (P = .006) and immunophenotype (P = .003) had a significant influence on the likelihood of a dog achieving complete remission. Median duration of first complete remission was 243 days (range 19-1,191 days). The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year remission rates were 68%, 28%, and 16%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis of patient variables, immunophenotype (P = .022) revealed a significant influence on first remission duration. Toxicosis was mild with the exception of 1 treatment-associated death.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance: In this group of dogs the 12-week maintenance-free chemotherapy protocol was well tolerated and had satisfactory results.