Clinical Trials for Dogs with Lymphoma: A Guide to Treatment

If your dog has been diagnosed with lymphoma, you may be considering clinical trials as a treatment option. Clinical trials can provide access to new and innovative treatments that may not be available otherwise.

The most common type of lymphoma in dogs is B-cell lymphoma, accounting for about 80% of all cases. This type of lymphoma can be further divided into several subtypes, each with its own unique characteristics.

Clinical trials for dogs with lymphoma can involve a range of treatment approaches, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. These trials aim to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for dogs with lymphoma.

This study will involve approximately 10 dogs with spontaneous lymphoma.

The treatment will be administered in a two-center, open-label, nonrandomized clinical trial.

Dogs will receive anti-CD20 intravenously (IV) once per week every 3 weeks in conjunction with oral RV1001 on a 4 days on/3 days off schedule for 4 cycles (12 weeks).

The dose of anti-CD20 will be 10 mg/kg IV once every 3 weeks, and the dose of RV1001 will be 10 mg/kg once per day on a 4 days on/3 days off regimen.

Standard bloodwork will be performed prior to each week’s treatment.

Dogs will be assessed for tumor response through direct tumor measurement or imaging techniques such as radiography or ultrasound at Day 96.

Here are the phases of the study:

The study will continue in absence of disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal from treatment.

To be eligible for a clinical trial for dogs with lymphoma, your furry friend needs to meet certain criteria.

Dogs must have a previously confirmed diagnosis of aggressive lymphoma, which can be either B or T cell, and any stage, substage a.

Your dog should be feeling well and have no significant health concerns aside from lymphoma, as determined by a physical examination and laboratory tests.

In terms of weight, your dog should weigh more than 16.5 pounds (7.5 kg) or at least 44 pounds (20 kg) for some studies.

To participate in a clinical trial, your dog should also be spayed or neutered.

Additionally, your dog should be up to date on vaccinations, flea and tick prevention, and internal parasite control.

Your dog should not be taking alternative or herbal medications, except for some that are part of the chemotherapy treatment.

It's also essential to ensure your dog's living situation is safe and free from livestock to prevent any potential risks.

Here are the key eligibility criteria for dogs with lymphoma:

You'll be happy to know that some clinical trials offer financial assistance to help with the costs of treatment. In some cases, owners are responsible for the initial diagnostic exam, bloodwork, and urinalysis during the screening visit.

All costs associated with visits and treatments pertaining to the study will be covered once a patient is enrolled.

For some participants, a stipend is provided to help with treatment costs, such as a $5000 stipend for chemotherapy treatment if disease progression occurs in a Phase 1 study.

For dogs with lymphoma, traditional injectable chemotherapeutic drugs are not always feasible options for many families.

Lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in dogs, and traditional treatments can be costly and invasive.

The standard treatment for lymphoma in dogs is multi-agent chemotherapy plus prednisone, an oral steroid pill, but this option is not viable for many families.

Cyclophosphamide, an inexpensive and part of the standard of care chemotherapy protocol, has not been well-studied as a single agent.

Dogs participating in a study at Cornell University Hospital for Animals can receive a well-tolerated, effective, oral chemotherapy protocol as an alternative to injectable chemotherapy.

The study, sponsored by the Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center, covers all testing related to the study, including medication costs and diagnostic testing.

Dogs must have at least one enlarged lymph node to be eligible for the study, and owners are responsible for administering study medications and returning their dog to the hospital for follow-up appointments.

If you enroll your dog in a clinical trial, you can expect to pay for the initial diagnostic exam, bloodwork, and urinalysis during the screening visit.

Owners of dogs participating in the Visbiome Vs Metronidazole clinical trial will be financially responsible for the costs associated with the diagnosis of multicentric lymphoma and treatment with CHOP chemotherapy.

You'll need to pay for the initial costs of diagnosis and treatment, but the study will cover recheck examination fees for timepoints associated with fecal sample collection.

The study will also cover the cost of metronidazole or Visbiome Vet, depending on the treatment group your dog is randomized into.

If your dog is part of the Phase 1 participants in the study, you'll receive a $5000 stipend for chemotherapy treatment if disease progression occurs, but treatment must be performed at the University of Minnesota to be covered by the stipend.

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This study will be conducted at two centers and will involve dogs with treatment-naive DLBCL. Approximately 10 dogs will be enrolled in this study.

The treatment will continue as long as the dogs show no disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal from treatment. Dogs will be administered anti-CD20 intravenously (IV) once per week every 3 weeks.

The dose of anti-CD20 will be 10 mg/kg IV once every 3 weeks, based on a previously published study in healthy research dogs. RV1001 will be given orally on a 4 days on/3 days off schedule for 4 cycles (12 weeks).

Standard bloodwork, including a CBC and chemistry panel, will be performed prior to each week’s treatment. Dogs will be assessed at Day 96 to determine if they will continue receiving RV1001 alone until clinical progression.

Some studies focus on specific aspects of lymphoma treatment in dogs. For example, a two-center clinical trial is enrolling dogs with treatment-naive DLBCL to evaluate the efficacy of anti-CD20 and RV1001 combination therapy.

Dogs participating in this study will receive treatment for 12 weeks, with assessments performed every 3 weeks. The study aims to enroll approximately 10 dogs.

Another study is exploring the use of genetically modified Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor called anti-PD-1 to treat aggressive lymphomas in dogs. This study will be conducted in two phases: Phase 1 will determine the efficacy of VSV as an individual treatment, while Phase 2 will evaluate the safety and efficacy of the combination therapy.

A study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is investigating the effect of FLASH radiation on normal tissues in dogs. This study will compare the effects of FLASH radiation with conventional radiation on skin response in dogs with B-cell lymphoma.

If your dog is diagnosed with lymphoma, you may be eligible to participate in one of these studies. It's essential to discuss the details and potential benefits with your veterinarian before making a decision.

Here are some key details to consider:

Keep in mind that each study has its own requirements and limitations, and not all dogs may be eligible to participate. Be sure to discuss the details with your veterinarian to determine the best course of action for your dog's lymphoma treatment.

If you're considering enrolling your dog in a clinical trial for lymphoma, you might have some questions about the process and what to expect.

DLBCL, the most common type of lymphoma in dogs, is a serious condition that requires prompt treatment.

The standard treatment for DLBCL is a combination chemotherapy called CHOP, which has a high success rate of 80-90% in achieving cancer remission.

However, some dogs may not respond well to CHOP, and it can have serious side effects.

A new imaging technology called biodynamic imaging (BDI) has shown promise in predicting which dogs will benefit from CHOP.

To be eligible for this study, your dog must have cytologically-confirmed lymphoma primarily affecting peripheral lymph nodes.

They must also have at least one peripheral lymph node that is 2 cm or larger in longest diameter.

Your dog's expected survival time with treatment must be at least 4 weeks, and they cannot have received any prior therapy for the lymphoma.

Here are the eligibility criteria in a concise list: