Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009 Apr;11(4):259-65.
doi: 10.1016/j.jfms.2008.07.003. Epub 2008 Oct 29.

Rescue therapy with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy for relapsing or refractory feline lymphoma: a retrospective study of 23 cases

Karen T Oberthaler  1 , Elizabeth Mauldin, Patricia M McManus, Frances S Shofer, Karin U Sorenmo
Affiliations

Rescue therapy with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy for relapsing or refractory feline lymphoma: a retrospective study of 23 cases

Karen T Oberthaler et al. J Feline Med Surg. 2009 Apr.

Abstract

This study examined the efficacy of doxorubicin-based chemotherapy used for rescue therapy in refractory feline lymphoma. Records of 23 cats with lymphoma treated with chemotherapy who received doxorubicin for the first time in a rescue setting were reviewed. Seventeen (74%) of the 23 cats had only one treatment of doxorubicin. Five (22%) of the 23 cats had a positive response to doxorubicin and were given additional doses. The response to therapy in 4/5 of these responders could be assessed objectively, of which, two cats (9%) achieved partial remission (PR) and two cats (9%) achieved complete remission (CR). The two cats that achieved CR had differing response durations (6 weeks and greater than 47 months). Three of these five (60%) responders had also received concurrent other chemotherapy in addition to doxorubicin. Cell type and the use of concurrent chemotherapy were significant predictors of response. Cats with small-medium cell lymphomas (P=0.001) and cats that received concurrent chemotherapy with doxorubicin rescue (P=0.007) were more likely to respond favorably. This study suggests that doxorubicin-based chemotherapy is not an effective rescue protocol for feline lymphoma.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig 1.
Fig 1.
Duration of survival for cats given doxorubicin treatment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Carter R.F., Harris C.K., Withrow S.J. Chemotherapy of canine lymphoma with histopathological correlation: Doxorubicin alone compared to COP as first treatment regimen, J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 23, 1987, 587–596.
    1. Hahn K.A., Richardson R.C., Teclaw R.F., et al. Is maintenance chemotherapy appropriate for the management of canine malignant lymphoma?, J Vet Int Med 6, 1992, 3–10. - PubMed
    1. Valerius K.D., Ogilvie G.K., Mallinckrodt C.H., Getzy D.M. Doxorubicin alone or in combination with asparaginase, followed by cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone for treatment of multicentric lymphoma in dogs: 121 cases (1987–1995), J Am Vet Med Assoc 210, 1997, 512–516. - PubMed
    1. Postorino N.C., Susaneck S.J., Withrow S.J., Macy D.W., Harris C. Single agent therapy with adriamycin for canine lymphosarcoma, J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 25, 1989, 221–225.
    1. Calvert C.A., Leifer C.E. Doxorubicin for treatment of canine lymphosarcoma after development of resistance to combination chemotherapy, J Am Vet Med Assoc 179, 1981, 1011–1012. - PubMed