Treatment of Feline Vaccine Associated Sarcomas: Comparison of Tumor Response to Radiation Therapy Alone with Radiotherapy Plus an Adjuvant Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carrier Radiotherapy Sensitizer, and Follow-up Assessment After Surgery and Chemotherapy  

Investigator:   

Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, DVM, Diplomate, ACVIM (Oncology and Internal Medicine)

Rationale:

This study is designed to investigate the toxicity and efficacy of a novel radiation-sensitizing agent (Oxyglobin®, Biopure Corporation, Cambridge, MA) in the treatment of vaccine associated sarcomas. Oxyglobin® has been shown to serve as a radiation sensitizer in in vitro studies as well as induced tumor models in the rat and mouse.

General Overview:

Cats with vaccine associated sarcomas will be treated with preoperative radiation therapy (RT) and the size of their tumor measured weekly and a tumor size score (TSS) given based on measurements.  Half the cats will be randomized to receive Oxyglobin®  (Ox TX) and RT; the other half will receive RT.  One month following completion of RT, tumors will be excised.  All cats receive 2 doses of postoperative carboplatin chemotherapy.

Summary of study to date:

As of April 10, 2000, 12 cats have been randomized, 6Ox TX, 6RT. Ten cats have completed RT and median post RT follow up is 5 months (range 0-14 months).  

Two cats experienced mild radiation burns. One cat inadvertently received a double dose of Oxyglobin® and became tachypneic. All treated cats developed transient mucous membrane pigment changes.  Nine cats have completed surgery, one of which developed an operative site seroma.  Eight cats have completed chemotherapy. Three cats had chemotherapy delayed due to neutropenia, 2 untreated and 1 treated cat.   No tumor recurrence or metastasis has been documented.

Conclusions:

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