DOXORUBICIN ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH ASPARAGINASE, FOLLOWED BY CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE, VINCRISTINE, AND PREDNISONE FOR TREATMENT OF MULTICENTRIC LYMPHOMA IN DOGS - 121 CASES (1987-1995)

Objective--To determine response rate and remis sion as well as surviv al times far dogs with multicentric lymphoma treated first with doxoru bicin alone or in combination with asparaginase and then with cyclopho sphamide, vincristine sulfate, and prednisone (CVP) and to identify pr evalence of toxicoses associated with this protocol and factors associ ated with prognosis; Design-Retrospective case series, Animals--121 do gs. Procedure--Variables evaluated for prognostic value were initial r esponse rate to chemotherapy, age, breed, sex, body weight, histologic grade, clinical stage and substage, previous corticosteroid treatment , and serum calcium concentration. Results--Median overall remission a nd survival times for all 121 dogs were 205 and 237 days, respectively . Response rate (complete or partial response) was 88%. Ten dogs were hospitalized because of toxicoses associated with doxorubicin, and 19 dogs were hospitalized because of toxicoses associated with CVP. Aspar aginase favorably influenced the initial response rate, but did not si gnificantly influence overall remission or survival times. initial res ponse rate to chemotherapy, body weight, clinical substage, and serum calcium concentration was found to have prognostic value. Clinical Imp lications--For dogs with multicentric lymphoma, treatment with doxorub icin alone or in combination with asparaginase and then with CVP resul ted in an acceptable response rate and low prevalence of toxicoses.