Treatment of vascular and soft-tissue sarcomas in dogs using an alternating protocol of ifosfamide and doxorubicin.

A retrospective analysis was done to assess the toxicity and efficacy associated with an alternating chemotherapy protocol of ifosfamide (375 mg m(-2)) and doxorubicin (30 mg m(-2)) for adjuvant treatment of 39 dogs with sarcomas. Twelve dogs had various soft-tissue sarcomas and 27 dogs had hemangiosarcoma (HSA). Complete blood counts were evaluated 7 days after the first dose of ifosfamide and doxorubicin. One dog had grade 4 neutropenia (<500 microL(-1)) after treatment with ifosfamide and one dog had grade 3 neutropenia (500-1000 microL(-1)) after treatment with doxorubicin. One dog treated with doxorubicin was hospitalized for 24 h due to vomiting. The median survival time (ST) for the 27 dogs with HSA treated by surgery and with doxorubicin/ifosfamide was 149 days (mean 366 days). Although the protocol of alternating ifosfamide and doxorubicin was well tolerated, it failed to result in a statistically significant improvement in the ST when compared to a historical population of dogs with stage 2 splenic HSA treated by surgery alone.

A combination chemotherapy protocol with MOPP and CCNU consolidation (Tufts VELCAP-SC) for the treatment of canine lymphoma.

A chemotherapy protocol using a consolidation phase of alkylating agents was used for treating 94 dogs with lymphoma. Fifty-seven percent of dogs were in stage V, 63% were ill and 38% had T-cell lymphoma. The complete remission (CR) rate was 70% and is comparable to results achieved with previously published chemotherapy protocols. Anorexia predicted the remission; of the 40 dogs without anorexia, 35 (88%) achieved CR whereas of 52 dogs with anorexia, 30 (58%) achieved CR. Median first CR duration was 168 days and 1- and 2-year CR rates were 17.4 and 15.5%, respectively. Platelet count affected length of first CR, with a 53.2% reduced chance of coming out of remission with each log increase in platelet count. Median survival time was 302 days. One and 2-year survival rates were 44 and 13%, respectively. Anorexia and no dose reduction of any drug were independent negative variables. Of 93 dogs with toxicity data, 65 dogs (70%) required a dose reduction. Cyclophosphamide was most commonly reduced with reductions in 31 (38%) of 82 dogs. A dose reduction was significantly more likely in dogs with B-cell lymphoma than in those with T-cell lymphoma.