Clinico-pathological studies on the effect of different anti-neoplastic chemotherapy regimens on transmissible venereal tumours in dogs

Thirty-two dogs affected with transmissible veneral tumour (TVT) were divided into three treatment groups. In group I vincristine sulphate at 0.025 mg/kg body weight, in group II vinblastine sulphate at 0.150 mg/kg body weight, and in group III vinblastine sulphate at 0.100 mg/kg body weight plus methotrexate at 0.35 mg/kg body weight were given intravenously at weekly intervals. Biopsies were performed on days 0, 3, 7 and 14. The tissues were preserved in 10% neutral buffered formalin and processed routinely for haematoxylin and eosin staining. Histopathologically, the untreated TVT was characterized by sheets or bundles of mostly rounded cells having a large, highly basophilic nucleus with a prominent, highly basophilic nucleolus. Both vincristine and vinblastine primarily affected the nuclei of neoplastic cells, causing condensation, karyorrhexis and karyolysis within 3 days of chemotherapy. The regressing tumour mass showed marked infiltration by lymphocytes, lymphoblasts and macrophages by day 7. There was nearly complete regression of the tumour by day 14, as shown by the almost complete loss of neoplastic cells, with fibrous tissue substitution. However, in group III, the changes occurred more slowly and more injections were needed for complete regression. In both groups I and II, 11/12 of the animals responded completely to the chemotherapy within 3 weeks, while in group III, 6/8 of the dogs responded to the treatment by 21–28 days.Abbreviations SD standard deviation - TVT transmissible venereal tumour     

The ratio of the water and food consumption of chickens and its significance in the chemotherapy of coccidiosis

An investigation was made of the relationship between the water and food consumption of healthy and sick chickens. Using coccidiosis as a disease model, and uninfected chickens as healthy controls, male birds of an egg-production breed and males and females of a meat-production breed were found to have simultaneously reduced water and food intakes 4 days after infection with Eimeria acervulina or E. maxima, and from 4 to 6 days after infection with E. tenella. This phenomenon was associated with reduction of weight gains and poor food conversion ratios. Whether birds were healthy or sick, and regardless of the degree of reduction of dietary intake, there was a more or less constant relationship between their food and water consumption. The ratio of the weights of water and food consumed had a value of about 1.9, with a range of 1.1–2.4. It is concluded that neither water nor food has an advantage over the other as a vehicle for chemotherapy. However, other factors, such as ease and speed of administration, and avoidance of adsorption onto food particles, favour the drinking-water route.Abbreviations FCR food conversion ratio - WFR water-food intake ratio     

甲地孕酮对改善消化道肿瘤患者生存质量的观察

目的：评价甲地孕酮对提高消化道肿瘤患者的生存质量和不良反应。方法：139例住院的消化道肿瘤患者随机分为甲地孕酮＋化疗组（n=68)和单纯化疗组（n=71)，两组中同一病种使用的化疗方案相同，联合治疗组在化疗基础上每日加服甲地孕酮160mg，疗程至少8周。结果：甲地孕酮＋化疗组生存质量明显提高，包括体重和Kanofsky评分的增加，厌食和乏力的改善，其分别为52．9％、82．4％、63．2％、48．5％，而单纯化疗组即分别为14．1％、15．5％、12．7％、9．9％，两者间差异均有高度显著性（P＜0．01）；两组的有效率分别为20．6％、18．3％，差异无显著性（P＞0．05）；甲地孕酮＋化疗组在稳定白细胞数、改善消化道反应和保护肝功能等方面均优于单纯化疗组，差异有高度显著性（P＜0．01）。结论：甲地孕酮配合化疗可以改善消化道肿瘤患者的生存质量，减轻化疗所致的不良反应，值得临床推广应用。     

Disposition and dosage regimen of cephaloridine in calves

The disposition and dosage regimen of cephaloridine were investigated in healthy calves following a single intramuscular administration of 10 mg/kg. The absorption halflife, climination halflife, apparent volume of distribution and total body clearance were 0.107±0.025 h, 2.08±0.14 h, 0.70±0.07L kg^-1 and 235.8±21.9 ml kg^-1 h^-1, respectively. Therapeutic plasma levels (1 g/ml) were maintained for up to 7 h. A satisfactory intramuscular dosage regimen for cephaloridine in calves would be 10 mg/kg repeated at 8 h intervals.     

Surgical excision of a feline orbital lacrimal gland adenocarcinoma with adjunctive cryotherapy and carboplatin‐impregnated bead implantation

The purpose of this report was to discuss the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of a cat with an orbital lacrimal gland adenocarcinoma. A 14.5‐year‐old spayed female domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for a firm swelling at the left dorsotemporal orbital rim. The orbital mass was excised with preservation of the globe, and adjunctive cryotherapy was performed. A definitive diagnosis of lacrimal gland adenocarcinoma was obtained after histopathologic evaluation and histochemical staining with periodic acid–Schiff and mucicarmine. Thirteen months postoperatively, tumor regrowth occurred with a much larger osteolytic lesion, and a second surgery was performed consisting of tumor excision with implantation of carboplatin‐impregnated calcium sulfate hemihydrate beads. The cat has remained free of recurrence 11 months after the second surgery (26 months after initial diagnosis and surgery). A feline orbital lacrimal gland adenocarcinoma was successfully managed utilizing globe‐preserving surgical excision with adjunctive cryotherapy and subsequent carboplatin‐impregnated bead implantation. Orbital lacrimal gland adenocarcinoma in cats may not be as aggressive as other forms of periocular, head, and neck adenocarcinomas.     

A dexamethasone,melphalan, actinomycin‐D and cytarabine chemotherapy protocol as a rescue treatment for feline lymphoma

Nineteen cats with relapsed high‐grade/large‐cell lymphoma were treated with dexamethasone, melphalan, actinomycin‐D and cytarabine (DMAC). All cats had received Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, Prednisolone (COP) as first‐line chemotherapy and most cats had received at least 2 prior rescue agents with 14 of 19 having received both epirubicin and lomustine. Five cats (26%) exhibited a response (defined as an improvement or resolution of tumour‐associated clinical signs/tumour volume, or complete/partial response) to chemotherapy though no patients received more than 2 cycles of DMAC. Most cats tolerated the protocol well though 3 patients exhibited Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group (VCOG) grade 4 neutropenia and 1 patient exhibited grade 4 thrombocytopenia. The median progression‐free survival and overall survival from starting DMAC were 14 and 17 days respectively. There is still an unmet need for successful rescue chemotherapy protocol for cats with relapsed lymphoma. [Correction added on 02 November 2017, after first online publication: The expansion for the term DMAC was previously incorrect and has been corrected in this current version.]