Bone Cancer Study In Dogs

[Feisty49]

The following information came from my adoption group's FB page:

 

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine are evaluating a new vaccine for dogs diagnosed with osteosarcoma. If your dog has recently been diagnosed or is currently undergoing chemotherapy for bone cancer, (s)he may be eligible for vaccination.

 

 

http://www.vet.upenn.edu/Research/BasicandClinicalResearch/CanineCancerStudies/BoneCancerStudy/tabid/2392/Default.aspx

[Brindles]

I saw that. I'm skeptical.

[Feisty49]

I saw that. I'm skeptical.

 

Of what? Just interested in your reason. I have no opinion one way or the other but then Annie Bella does not have cancer. If she did, I might try anything.

[Guest barkdogs]

Good to know! I work at the vet school but not at the hospital, so I am not always in the loop about such things. I will forward this to some friends.

[Brindles]

I saw that. I'm skeptical.

Of what? Just interested in your reason. I have no opinion one way or the other but then Annie Bella does not have cancer. If she did, I might try anything.

Mostly wondering about the method in which it works and the safety of the procedure.

 

Vaccines work on viruses by inoculating your body with an inactivated (in most cases) strain of the virus which causes your immune system to safely manufacture antibodies against it. This way our bodies are prepared for the real thing when and if we get infected. Cancer isn't a virus at all. It happens when cell growth gets out of control and the body is tricked into thinking it's normal. How is a vaccine going to prevent against that, especially when the dog already has cancer?

 

If it works, that's fantastic! I'm not trying to be a nay-sayer, it's just that I'm always hesitant about new procedures because no one knows what the long-term consequences will be.

Edited May 8, 2012 by Brindles

[BauersMom]

Actually, there's been a lot of research on vaccines for cancer in humans. It's not a new concept.

 

See one for prostate cancer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provenge

[Feisty49]

I saw that. I'm skeptical.

Of what? Just interested in your reason. I have no opinion one way or the other but then Annie Bella does not have cancer. If she did, I might try anything.

Mostly wondering about the method in which it works and the safety of the procedure.

 

Vaccines work on viruses by inoculating your body with an inactivated (in most cases) strain of the virus which causes your immune system to safely manufacture antibodies against it. This way our bodies are prepared for the real thing when and if we get infected. Cancer isn't a virus at all. It happens when cell growth gets out of control and the body is tricked into thinking it's normal. How is a vaccine going to prevent against that, especially when the dog already has cancer?

 

If it works, that's fantastic! I'm not trying to be a nay-sayer, it's just that I'm always hesitant about new procedures because no one knows what the long-term consequences will be.

 

Good reason. I'm well aware of how and why vaccines work in humans. I also know that no new treatments of anything can occur without experimentation. Again, my sweetie pie pup doesn't have cancer but who knows what will happen to her in the next 8 to 10 years (she's currently 4).

[Guest Liz_in_PA]

I'm thinking that it seems a bit cruel to someone who is desperate. The requirements are that you have already paid the big bucks to do amputation and the inconvenience of chemo.

[dmswartzfager]

I just saw that Dr. Patty had sent me the link to this study this morning. I have sent a request to the researcher for more information, since Symbra is scheduled to be getting her fourth carboplatin treatment on Thursday.

Edited May 8, 2012 by dmswartzfager

[countrypaws]

We just spoke with Dr Mason at Penn. She was wonderfully kind in explaining her study.

 

The study is summarized thusly:

 

We are actively recruting patients for a pilot study to determine the safety and efficiacy of a new bacteria based vaccine to stimulate an immune response against osteosarcoma and prolong survival in dogs with bone cancer. Only those dogs with a histological diagnosis of osteosarcoma and who have undergone limb amputation and standard chemotherapy (4 doses of carboplatin) for the treatment of osteosarcoma will be eligible for inclusion in the study. In addition, only those patients whose tumors express the target antigen "Her-2/neu" will be eligible for inclusion in this study.

The entire study can be found here:

 

http://www.vet.upenn...92/Default.aspx

They are looking for 18 patients.

Our Caesar is not currently a candidate because we have chosen not to do an amputation of the leg with the tumor, and the study focuses on removing the primary tumor to test the vaccine after four rounds of carboplatin. They also require a histology report to make sure the tumor is a type which produces the Her-2 antigen.

Our good news is that Caesar's tumor is gaining back bone density which was not there in the original Xray. We have him on a high protein diet with occasional turkey necks to up his calcium intake and after four weeks his tumor gained bone density. My vet says none of those dietary measures should do a thing to the tumor, but something is working.

Edited May 8, 2012 by countrypaws

[Guest JustGreyt05]

Just to be clear, vaccines don't work on viruses exclusively. Examples: strangles, botulism, tetanus, clostridia, many more.... Heck, there even used to be a giardia vaccine. Vaccination against neoplasia is a novel concept and is certainly under studied.

[JJNg]

As BauersMom mentioned, cancer vaccines are not a new concept. There's already a vaccine on the market for melanoma in dogs.

 

One of the normal functions of the immune system is to target and destroy abnormal, mutated cells - this is a routine occurrence that keeps cancer from developing even more than it already does. When cancer does develop, it is often at least partly due to a problem with this normal protective mechanism. Cancer vaccines stimulate the immune system to destroy specific cancer cells by taking advantage of this normal process.

 

I'm thinking that it seems a bit cruel to someone who is desperate. The requirements are that you have already paid the big bucks to do amputation and the inconvenience of chemo.

What does it seem cruel? Many people choose to take the amputation/chemo route, so this study is just aimed at those who have already taken those steps and want to contribute to a study and try something extra.

[Feisty49]

As BauersMom mentioned, cancer vaccines are not a new concept. There's already a vaccine on the market for melanoma in dogs.

 

One of the normal functions of the immune system is to target and destroy abnormal, mutated cells - this is a routine occurrence that keeps cancer from developing even more than it already does. When cancer does develop, it is often at least partly due to a problem with this normal protective mechanism. Cancer vaccines stimulate the immune system to destroy specific cancer cells by taking advantage of this normal process.

 

I'm thinking that it seems a bit cruel to someone who is desperate. The requirements are that you have already paid the big bucks to do amputation and the inconvenience of chemo.

What does it seem cruel? Many people choose to take the amputation/chemo route, so this study is just aimed at those who have already taken those steps and want to contribute to a study and try something extra.

 

I would also add that the specifications of the study are as stated. They are looking to test the treatment at a certain stage of the disease. Therefore, there's really no reason to think of it as cruel. It just is what it is.

[dmswartzfager]

Symbra is not a candidate because her entire biopsy sample has been decalcified, and the researchers needed to have a "regular" sample in order to test for the antigen.