Evaluation of a single subcutaneous infusion of carboplatin as adjuvant chemotherapy for dogs with osteosarcoma: 17 cases (2006-2010)

Objective-To evaluate adverse effects and survival times in dogs with osteosarcoma that received a single SC infusion of carboplatin as adjunctive chemotherapeutic treatment following limb amputation or limb-sparing surgery. Design-Retrospective case series. Animals-17 client-owned dogs with spontaneously occurring osteosarcoma. Procedures-Medical records of dogs that underwent limb amputation or limb-sparing surgery followed by a single continuous SC infusion of carboplatin (total dose, 300 mg/m(2) infused over 3, 5, or 7 days) were evaluated. Signalment, tumor location, type of surgery (amputation or limb-sparing), duration of carboplatin infusion, results of hematologic and serum biochemical analyses, and adverse effects were recorded. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. Results-Median survival time for all dogs was 365 days. Nine dogs had adverse bone marrow-related (hematologic) effects, 1 had adverse gastrointestinal effects, and 7 had infections at the surgical site. No significant differences were detected in survival times of dogs grouped according to tumor location, type of surgery, duration of carboplatin infusion, or development of postoperative infection. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Median survival time and adverse effects in dogs with osteosarcoma that received a single SC infusion of carboplatin over a 3-, 5-, or 7-day period as adjunctive treatment following limb amputation or limb-sparing surgery were comparable to those of previously reported chemotherapy protocols requiring IV drug administration over several weeks. Further investigation is needed to evaluate the efficacy of this protocol as adjunctive treatment for osteosarcoma and other tumors in dogs.