Fixed-dose-rate administration of gemcitabine in cancer-bearing cats: A pilot study.

Gemcitabine is an antimetabolite chemotherapy agent with schedule-dependent metabolism and efficacy. The purpose of this study was to identify the fixed-dose-rate (FDR) of gemcitabine administration in cancer-bearing cats that achieved a target plasma concentration (TPC) of 10 to 20 µM. Fifteen client-owned cats received gemcitabine infusions administered at various FDR for 1 to 6 hours. Plasma gemcitabine and dFdU (2',2'-difluorodeoxyuridine), the major gemcitabine metabolite, were quantitated by high performance liquid chromatography. Cats treated with an FDR less than 2.5 mg/m2 per minute failed to achieve TPC, whereas cats treated with an FDR of 10 mg/m2 per minute quickly exceeded the target range. An FDR of 5 mg/m2 per minute provided the longest duration of exposure without exceeding the upper limit of the TPC. Plasma dFdU concentration mirrored plasma gemcitabine concentrations. These data suggest that in order to maintain TPC of gemcitabine in cats the FDR lies between 2.5 and 5 mg/m2 per minute. A Phase II study to evaluate efficacy and toxicity of this approach is underway.

Administration de gemcitabine à vitesse et à dose fixes chez des chats atteints du cancer : une étude pilote. La gemcitabine est un agent de chimiothérapie antimétabolite ayant un métabolisme et une efficacité qui dépendent du plan thérapeutique. Cette étude visait à identifier la vitesse et la dose fixes (VDF) d'administration de la gemcitabine chez des chats atteints du cancer qui avaient atteints une concentration plasmatique cible (CPC) de 10 à 20 µM. Quinze chats appartenant à des clients ont reçu des infusions de gemcitabine administrées à diverses VDF pendant 1 à 6 heures. La gemcitabine et la dFdU (2',2'-difluorodeoxyuridine) dans le plasma, le métabolite majeur de la gemcitabine, ont été quantifiés par chromatographie liquide à haute performance. Les chats traités à l'aide de VDF de moins de 2,5 mg/m2 par minute n'ont pas réussi à atteindre la CPC, tandis que les chats traités à l'aide de VDF de 10 mg/m2 par minute ont rapidement dépassé la zone cible. Des VDF de 5 mg/m2 par minute ont fourni la durée d'exposition la plus longue sans dépasser la limite supérieure de la CPC. La concentration de dFdU dans le plasma a reflété les concentrations de gemcitabine dans le plasma. Ces données suggèrent qu'fin de maintenir la CPC de la gemcitabine chez les chats, les VDF doivent se situer entre 2,5 et 5 mg/m2 par minute. Une étude de phase II pour évaluer l'efficacité et la toxicité de cette approche est actuellement en cours.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

Fasting Reduces the Incidence of Delayed-Type Vomiting Associated with Doxorubicin Treatment in Dogs with Lymphoma.

Fasting reduces gastrointestinal cellular proliferation rates through G1 cycle blockade and can promote cellular protection of normal but not cancer cells through altered cell signaling including down-regulation of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Consequently, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of fasting on delayed-type chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in dogs receiving doxorubicin. This prospective randomized crossover study involved intended administration of two doses of doxorubicin. Cancer-bearing dogs were randomized to be fasted for 24 hours beginning at 6 P.M. the night before the first or second doxorubicin administration, and all treatments were administered within an hour before or after 12 P.M. Dogs were fed normally before the alternate dose. Circulating IGF-1 concentrations were determined from serum samples obtained immediately before each doxorubicin treatment. Data from 35 doses were available from 20 dogs enrolled. Dogs that were fasted exhibited a significantly lower incidence of vomiting, when compared to fed dogs (10% compared to 67%, P = .020). Furthermore, among the 15 dogs that completed crossover dosing, vomiting was abrogated in four of five dogs that experienced doxorubicin-induced vomiting when fed normally (P = .050). No differences in other gastrointestinal, constitutional, or bone marrow toxicities or serum IGF-1 levels were observed.

Evaluation of an extractionless high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for detection and quantitation of rosiglitazone in canine plasma.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a simple extractionless method for detection of rosiglitazone in canine plasma and test the method in a pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of rosiglitazone in dogs. ANIMALS: 3 client-owned dogs with cancer. PROCEDURES: High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was performed on canine plasma. The 3 dogs with cancer in the pharmacokinetic study were assessed via physical examination and clinicopathologic evaluation and considered otherwise healthy. Food was withheld for 12 hours, and dogs were administered a single dose (4 mg/m²) of rosiglitazone. Plasma was collected at various times, processed, and analyzed for rosiglitazone. RESULTS: The developed method was robust and detected a minimum of 0.3 ng of rosiglitazone/mL. Mean ± SD maximum plasma concentration was 205.2 ± 79.1 ng/mL, which occurred at 3 ± 1 hours, and mean ± SD elimination half-life was 1.4 ± 0.4 hours. The area under the plasma rosiglitazone concentration-versus-time curve varied widely among the 3 dogs (mean ± SD, 652.2 ± 351.3 ng/h/mL). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A simple extractionless method for detection of rosiglitazone in canine plasma was developed and was validated with excellent sensitivity, accuracy, precision, and recovery. The method enabled unambiguous evaluation and quantitation of rosiglitazone in canine plasma. This method will be useful for pharmacokinetic, bioavailability, or drug-drug interaction studies. Oral rosiglitazone administration was well tolerated in the dogs.