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Canine Lymphoma

Introduction Prognosis and Treatment

This info sheet kindly provided by M J Brearley MA VetMB MSc(Clin Onc) FRCVS

Introduction
Canine lymphoma is a cancerous condition arising predominantly in the lymph glands of the body (see note 1). In some dogs this may occur at only one or two sites in the body but more commonly it is widespread, involving all the lymph glands and internal organs. Lymphoma is a progressive and ultimately fatal disease unless treated. In the early stages, the patient may be well but the tumour can have a profound effect on the dog causing weakness, poor appetite, lose of weight and general poor health. Currently, the cause of canine lymphoma is not known, however it is not a contagious disease and certainly there is no chance of spread to other pets or to humans.

Prognosis and Treatment
Without any treatment, the average survival time (see note 2) is about 4-6 weeks however in some rare cases it may take several months to progress. With treatment the majority of patients will go into remission (that is to say the tumour is reduced to such a small size that it is no longer apparent). This remission can be long lasting but unfortunately lymphoma is rarely cured outright. Treatment possibilities vary from basic drugs to complicated protocols using a variety of drugs. The principal and most important aim of any treatment is to regain good quality of life and for the majority of dogs the drugs that are used have minimal to no side effects. Following high dose steroid therapy many dogs will achieve a partial response but they will relapse within 2 - 3 months (average) due to drug resistance. For a longer and more complete response combination drug therapy is used. Using a basic protocol of cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisolone a good response can be achieved in three quarters of cases with an average survival of 7 - 9 months (a small percentage reach 2 years) and relatively few side effects. More advanced multi-drug protocols that include doxorubicin and l-asparaginase exist and can achieve a better remission rate with a longer average survival (12-14 months) and more dogs reaching two years. These regimens can be quite involved, can have a few more side effects and tend to be more expensive in the long term.

Side effects (see note 3) from the anticancer drugs are uncommon; in general the quality of life for most veterinary patients receiving cancer treatment is surprisingly good and often normal. Most of the time they can lead full happy lives and have fun with the families that love and care for them. While it is important to be aware of the potential side effects of chemotherapy, the majority of our patients complete their treatment without significant complications. The aim of therapy is first quality of life and secondly a 'worthwhile' period of remission. Your veterinary surgeon may want to refer you to a cancer specialist for more advanced treatments and in deed you can ask to be referred. Some of the drugs are potentially dangerous to handle and are better given at a specialist centre however even with the more advanced protocols much of the treatment can be given by the home veterinary surgeon.

Notes:

1. Lymph nodes, as they are more correctly called, occur throughout the body but the ones that are most easily felt are just behind the angle of the jaw, in front of the shoulder, in the arm pit (on the side of the chest behind the elbow region when standing), in the groin and behind the knee joint on the back legs. Sometimes just one or two nodes are involved but more frequently all will be enlarged.

2. Average survival time - by definition 50% of cases will survival longer than this and 50% will survive less than this - it is however often the only guide that can be given.

3. Side effects - Anti-cancer agents do not specifically target cancer cells. They damage or kill rapidly growing cells be they cancerous or normal. For the patient, this means cells lining the stomach and intestine, and cells of the bone marrow that make up the immune system (white blood cells, in particular) are at risk. The most common side effects of chemotherapy agents include mild to moderate nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and increased risk of infection. Hair loss, in contrast to humans, is uncommon in dogs and cats on chemotherapy. The good news is that the normal cells can almost always regenerate, while the poorly organised malignant cells suffer great damage.

For more details see http://www.vetspecialists.co.uk/Information sheets/canine_lymphoma.htm

If you have any further questions about bone cancer or any other aspect of cancer in dogs you should speak to your veterinary surgeon who will be able to discuss this with you more fully.

If you are concerned about the health of your pet you should contact your veterinary surgeon.

M J Brearley MA VetMB MSc(Clin Onc) FRCVS
RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Oncology

Manor Farm Business Park, Higham Gobion,
Hitchin, Herts, SG5 3HR
Tel: 01582 883950 Fax: 01582 883946
Veterinary Radiology Ltd Regd in England 3058672

http://www.vetspecialists.co.uk

This page last updated 24 March 2002