mesna and Cat-Diseases

Several anticancer drugs have been added to the therapeutic armamentarium in recent years. Some of these agents are traditional drugs with a long history of use in human oncology. Increased sophistication in clinical trial design in veterinary oncology has allowed the incorporation of agents previously viewed as excessively toxic. Other agents have been developed more recently. This article summarizes the veterinary experience with two older alkylating agents, lomustine and streptozocin, and newer compounds ifosfamide and gemcitabine. The published literature regarding veterinary use of these agents is limited, and the reader is advised to contact a veterinary oncologist for current guidelines when contemplating use of these agents.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Cat Diseases; Cats; Deoxycytidine; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Gemcitabine; Ifosfamide; Lomustine; Mesna; Neoplasms; Streptozocin; Veterinary Drugs

To determine clinical activity and toxic effects of ifosfamide when used to treat cats with vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS).. 27 cats with a nonresectable, recurrent, or metastatic VAS.. Each cat received ifosfamide (900 mg/m(2) of body surface area) as an IV infusion during a 30-minute period. Diuresis by infusion of saline (0.9% NaCl) solution and administration of mesna were used to prevent urothelial toxicosis. Treatments were administered every 3 weeks, and tumor response was assessed after the second treatment. All ifosfamide-associated toxic effects were graded in accordance with predetermined criteria.. 61 treatments were administered to 27 cats (median, 2 treatments/cat; range, 1 to 4 treatments/cat). After ifosfamide treatment, 1 cat had a complete response and 10 had partial responses for an overall response rate of 11 of 27 (41%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 25% to 59%). Responses lasted from 21 to 133 days (median, 70 days; 95% CI, 60 to 113 days). The acute dose-limiting toxicosis was neutropenia, which was detected 5 to 28 days (median, 7 days) after treatment. Median nadir neutrophil count was 1,600 cells/muL (range, 200 to 5,382 cells/microL). Nine (33%) cats had adverse gastrointestinal effects (primarily salivation during the ifosfamide infusion and inappetence after treatment). Two cats were euthanatized because of severe nephrotoxicosis, and 1 cat developed pulmonary edema during diuresis.. Ifosfamide has antitumor activity against VAS in cats and is tolerated well by most cats. Ifosfamide should be evaluated as an adjuvant treatment for cats with VAS.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; Cat Diseases; Cats; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Ifosfamide; Male; Mesna; Sarcoma; Sodium Chloride; Vaccines