German shepherd dog
Photo: Caitlin Taylor.

Researchers seeking canine lymphoma patients

Veterinary medical oncology researchers at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) are seeking canine participants for a study that focuses on a potential treatment option for canine lymphoma.

STUDY TITLE: “Improving GI function in cancer patients: the potential of metoclopramide to decrease vincristine-induced GI ileus”

Lymphoma is a common cancer diagnosed in dogs, and the current standard of care for treating dogs diagnosed with lymphoma is chemotherapy. More specifically, medical oncologists use the multi-agent "CHOP" protocol, which includes four drugs: 

  • cyclophosphamide
  • doxorubicin hydrochloride
  • vincristine sulfate
  • prednisone

One of the drugs in the CHOP protocol, vincristine, can induce gastrointestinal (GI) ileus. This health issue can lead to decreased appetite, nausea and stomach upset.

This WCVM clinical trial's goal is to determine if metoclopramide, a drug that's commonly used to treat and prevent nausea, can alleviate the GI ileus due to vincristine.

Q. What do study participants receive? 

All dogs enrolled in the clinical trial receive:  

  • complimentary flow cytometry
  • MDR-1 testing
  • abdominal ultrasound examination

Q. What dogs are eligible? 

The research team is seeking dogs (all breeds and sizes) that have been diagnosed with multicentric lymphoma (substage a) and are pursuing the CHOP chemotherapy treatment protocol at the WCVM Veterinary Medical Centre.   

Questions?
Please contact Dr. Arata Matsuyama (medical.oncology@usask.ca) for more details. 

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