Open AccessIs Maintenance Chemotherapy Appropriate for the Management of Canine Malignant Lymphoma?
Author(s) -
Hahn Kevin A.,
Richardson Ralph C.,
Teclaw Robert F.,
Cline J. Mark,
Carlton William W.,
DeNicola Dennis B.,
Bonney Patty L.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1992.tb00979.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cyclophosphamide , vincristine , prednisone , chemotherapy , doxorubicin , working formulation , methotrexate , surgery , lymphoma , canine lymphoma , gastroenterology , retrospective cohort study , non hodgkin's lymphoma
A retrospective study was conducted between two groups of dogs with histopathologically diagnosed multicentric malignant lymphoma to determine if treatment with either short‐term or continuous chemotherapy resulted in a significant difference in first‐remission length or survival time. One group was treated with single agent, short‐term (three cycles) of doxorubicin.* Dogs obtaining complete remission while receiving doxorubicin were given no further chemotherapy. The other group received combination agent, long‐term chemotherapy consisting of cyclophosphamide,† vincristine sulfate,‡ and prednisone (COP). Dogs obtaining complete remission on COP by the end of 6 weeks were given maintenance chemotherapy of cyclophosphamide, prednisone and methotrexate.§ One hundred and five dogs were treated. Thirty‐eight dogs received doxorubicin and 67 received COP. All dogs were evaluated at 6 weeks for response to chemotherapy and followed until death. No significant differences were observed in first‐remission length or survival time when comparing dogs treated with either short‐term doxorubicin or long‐term COP ( P > 0.05). Sex, weight, age, clinical stage, performance status, histopathologic cell type, and grade were not significant factors for determining the responsiveness to either chemotherapy protocol. However, within either treatment group, significant differences in first‐remission length were observed in dogs evaluated histopathologically by the Keil and NCI working formulation and in survival time when evaluated by performance status ( P < 0.05). (Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 1992; 6:3–10)