Comparison of COAP and UW-19 protocols for dogs with multicentric lymphoma.
BACKGROUND
Various chemotherapy protocols for treating lymphoma in dogs have been published; however, comparison of protocols from different studies is difficult, especially when evaluating survival time and toxicoses.


OBJECTIVE
The choice of COAP (C, cyclophosphamide; O, vincristine; A, cytosine arabinoside; P, prednisone) and a modified University of Wisconsin 19-week (UW-19) induction protocol has no influence on overall survival times in dogs with lymphoma.


METHODS
One hundred and one dogs with multicentric lymphoma.


METHODS
Retrospective study (2001-2006). Dogs induced with either an 8-week COP-based protocol (C, cyclophosphamide; O, vincristine; and P, prednisone) with maintenance therapy (COAP group) or a 19-week CHOP (C, cyclophosphamide; H, doxorubicin; O, vincristine; and P, prednisone) based protocol (UW-19 group) were compared in terms of the duration of first remission, survival time, toxicoses, and cost.


RESULTS
There were 71 dogs in the COAP group and 30 dogs in the UW-19 group. Various protocols were used after the first relapse. The median duration of the first remission for the COAP and UW-19 groups were 94 days (range, 6-356 days) and 174 days (28-438 days), respectively (P < .01). The median survival times for dogs in the COAP and UW-19 groups were 309 days (6-620 days) and 275 days (70-1102+ days), respectively (P = .09). Dogs in the COAP group had a hazard ratio of 1.9 (95% CI 1.1-3.4) for death relative to the UW-19 group (P = .03), after controlling for the confounders (World Health Organization clinical stage, age, sex, use of doxorubicin during reinduction). The severity of neutropenia and gastrointestinal toxicoses were significantly higher in the UW-19 group than in the COAP group (P = .01 and P < .01, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Use of a long-term doxorubicin-containing sequential combination chemotherapy protocol is associated with a decreased risk of relapse and death relative to a non-doxorubicin-containing protocol.
Hosoya
Kenji
K
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Kisseberth
William C
WC
Lord
Linda K
LK
Alvarez
Francisco J
FJ
Lara-Garcia
Ana
A
Kosarek
Carrie E
CE
London
Cheryl A
CA
Couto
C Guillermo
CG
D000818:Animals; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014750:Vincristine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D003561:Cytarabine; D014750:Vincristine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone