title: Use of Oncept melanoma vaccine in 69 canine oral malignant melanomas in the UK.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral malignant melanomas carry a poor-to-guarded prognosis because of their local invasiveness and high metastatic propensity. The Oncept melanoma vaccine is licensed to treat dogs with stage II or III locally-controlled oral malignant melanoma and this retrospective study aimed to assess survival of affected dogs treated with the vaccine in the UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of dogs with histopathologically-confirmed oral malignant melanoma that received the vaccine as part of their treatment were evaluated. Survival analyses for potential prognostic factors were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-nine dogs were included; 56 dogs, staged I to III, and with previous locoregional therapy, had a median survival time of 455 days (95% CI: 324 to 586 days). Based on Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with associated log-rank testing, no significant prognostic factors were identified for this population. Of the 13 patients with macroscopic disease treated with vaccine alone or in combination therapy, eight showed clinical response. Three patients with stage IV oral malignant melanoma survived 171, 178 and 288 days from diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients treated with the melanoma vaccine in our study had survival times similar to their counterparts receiving the vaccine in the USA. There were observed responses in patients with macroscopic disease and so the vaccine could be considered as palliative treatment in dogs with stage IV disease.
authors.affiliation: Animal Health Trust, Kentford, Newmarket CB8 7UU.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Verganti
authors.affiliation: Animal Health Trust, Kentford, Newmarket CB8 7UU.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berlato
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 5DA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blackwood
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 5DA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amores-Fuster
authors.affiliation: North Downs Specialist Referrals, Bletchingley, Redhill RH1 4QP.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Polton
authors.affiliation: Animal Health Trust, Kentford, Newmarket CB8 7UU.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elders
authors.affiliation: Davies Veterinary Specialists, Higham Gobion, Hitchin SG5 3HR.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.affiliation: The Royal Veterinary College, Kings Cross, London NW1 0TU.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Animal Health Trust, Kentford, Newmarket CB8 7UU.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines