Stereotactic radiation may offer better outcomes in nine cancersOctober 24, 2019New data suggests a specific advanced radiation treatment protocol is leading to better survival outcomes than other therapy options for at least nine tumor types. That's according to PetCure Oncology, which presented its findings at the recent Veterinary Cancer Society Annual Conference (VCS) in Houston, Tex. The pet cancer care provider says nine of the 11 tumor types it studied showed increased median survival time relative to the current body of peer-reviewed published literature for pets treated with stereotactic radiation/stereotactic radiation therapy (SRS/SRT), an advanced form of radiation therapy used in human medicine. The list of tumor types includes brain, nasal, osteosarcoma (bone tumors), mast cell, and melanoma. "We have now treated more than 3,000 pets on-protocol with radiation therapy, including more than 2,200 with stereotactic radiation," says PetCure's chief medical officer, Neal Mauldin, DVM, DACVIM (internal medicine and oncology), DACVR (radiation oncology). "The good news is that many of them are still alive and thriving, so the data is still maturing. But objective analysis of the preliminary data at this point suggests stereotactic radiation can be considered a standard of care for the treatment of many tumor types, much like it already is in human cancer treatment. This …
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PetCure Oncology marks 3,000 cancer treatmentsSeptember 26, 2019Cancer care company PetCure Oncology hit a milestone this week with the treatment of its 3,000th patient.
VCA launches 35 cancer centers across North AmericaAugust 26, 2019Pets diagnosed with cancer will now have greater access to advanced, collaborative pet cancer care. VCA Animal Hospitals says it is launching 35 VCA Pet CancerCare Centers across North America, which will be staffed by multidisciplinary oncology teams that will design individualized treatment plans using the latest in medical health-care technology. Canadian centers are also slated for Laval and Brossard near Montreal, Quebec; Ottawa, Newmarket, Oakville, and Scarborough in Ontario; Victoria in British Columbia; and Calgary, Alberta. "At VCA Pet CancerCare Centers, we are leading cancer care into a hopeful new era with longer lifespans and improved quality of life," says Zack Wright, DVM, DACVIM/Oncology, director of oncology at VCA Animal Diagnostic Clinic in Dallas, Texas. "Our dedicated oncologists across the network are committed to working with primary care veterinarians to make advanced cancer care accessible to pet owners, with the goal always being extended, high quality of life for our patients." By introducing these cancer centers, VCA hopes to provide greater accessibility of world-class treatment to help improve the quality of life for pets, as well as to cultivate open lines of communication and collaboration between oncologists, primary care veterinarians, and pet owners. According to a VCA survey, 58 …
Osteosarcoma in dogs and children genetically similarJuly 26, 2019The veterinary community might soon see advancements in the treatment of canine osteosarcoma (OS).
Cancer treatment company plans for public offeringJuly 25, 2019PetCure Oncology has engaged Boustead Securities for a Regulation D 506(c) offering.
VetStem receives immunotherapy license from human health firmJuly 15, 2019Biopharmaceutical animal health company VetStem has partnered with Calidi Biotherapeutics, a clinical‐stage biotechnology company specializing in the stem cell-based delivery of oncolytic virus-based immunotherapies for cancer.
Is chemotherapy a viable treatment for lymphoma in horses?June 25, 2019 Lymphoma, which is cancer of the lymphatic system, is a rare medical condition of horses. However, it also is the most common malignant neoplastic condition of the horse system. Horses of any age can be affected, although it more commonly appears earlier in life (from four to 10 years of age). Lymphoma has several manifestations: multicentric, in the gastrointestinal tract, in the skin, and even in discrete settings. This disease can be difficult to recognize initially, and is typically diagnosed after it has progressed, with clinical signs relative to the affected organ or tissue. Routine hematological analysis is often not helpful, as complete blood counts and serum chemistry tests are usually normal. When hematological abnormalities do occur, they typically show as anemia, increased serum protein, and/or fibrinogen. Conversely, low serum protein levels may be seen, as well. A definitive diagnosis is made by identifying neoplastic lymphocytes, usually obtained by analysis of body fluid effusions (e.g. pleural or abdominal fluid, or by fine needle aspiration of affected tissue[s]). Depending on the form of lymphoma and how late in the disease process the horse is presented, the prognosis is usually poor. There are several treatment options, including surgical removal of isolated, …
Ohio State opens expanded veterinary oncology suiteMay 29, 2019Ohio State University's Veterinary Medical Center has opened the Blue Buffalo Foundation Integrated Oncology Suite, allowing practitioners to comprehensively and holistically treat pets with cancer. Blue Buffalo granted the school $650,000 to renovate the suite. "Blue Buffalo was founded on a mission to help cure a disease causing 50 percent of health-related pet deaths," says the company's vice president, David Petrie. "In supporting the renovation of the integrated oncology space, we are able to support veterinary medicine so dogs and cats facing cancer can receive a cohesive team approach, resulting in better health outcomes." The suite's team comprises veterinarians with specialties in medical, surgical, and radiation oncology. Clinical trials also are a big part of the integrated oncology service and are managed by the Blue Buffalo Veterinary Clinical Trials Office. The company's funding will help support animals enrolled in a study. "Our partnership with Blue Buffalo has made it possible to provide studies that test new diagnostics and treatments across a wide spectrum of pet health, including cancer, renal failure, heart disease, and arthritis," says Cheryl London, DVM, PhD, clinical trials office director and professor of veterinary biosciences. "Clinical trials in veterinary medicine are critical for identifying new approaches to …
TGen, Ethos develop diagnosis test for canine lymphomaMay 24, 2019A new test may assist veterinarians in more accurately diagnosing canine lymphoma. Developed by Ethos Veterinary Health, Ethos Discovery, and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), the test is based on the results of a study that analyzed 180 dogs with cancer. The teams used their test, ePARR, to confirm first whether the dogs in the study had lymphoma and then determined what type they had. Results indicate the test was more than 90 percent accurate among a range of lymphoma sample types. "An ongoing need exists for robust validation of molecular diagnostics in veterinary medicine. This study is an example of exhaustive validation of one such molecular test," says Will Hendricks, PhD, assistant professor in TGen's Integrated Cancer Genomics Division and one of the study's senior coauthors. "Overall, ePARR is more than 90 percent accurate across sample types and diagnostic settings." The researchers say not only could molecular-level investigations into dog DNA improve the health of dogs with cancer, but it could help understand cancer in humans, too.
