Piroxicam and intracavitary platinum-based chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced mesothelioma in pets: preliminary observations

Our plain-English summary of Piroxicam and intracavitary platinum-based chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced mesothelioma in pets: preliminary observations, by E.P. Spugnini, S. Crispi, A. Scarabello, et al (Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, 2008).

The study

• Authors: E.P. Spugnini, S. Crispi, A. Scarabello, G. Caruso, G. Citro, A. Baldi
• Journal: Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research
• Published: 2008;27(1):6
• Cited by: 25 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

Malignant Mesothelioma is an uncommon and very aggressive tumor that accounts for 1% of all the deaths secondary to malignancy in humans. Interestingly, this neoplasm has been occasionally described in companion animals as well. Aim of this study was the preclinical evaluation of the combination of piroxicam with platinum-based intracavitary chemotherapy in pets. Three companion animals have been treated in a three years period with this combination. Diagnosis was obtained by ultrasonographic exam of the body cavities that evidenced thickening of the mesothelium. A surgical biopsy further substantiated the diagnosis. After drainage of the malignant effusion from the affected cavity, the patients received four cycles of intracavitary CDDP at the dose of 50 mg/m2 every three weeks if dogs or four cycles of intracavitary carboplatin at the dose of 180 mg/m2 (every 3 weeks) if cats, coupled with daily administration of piroxicam at the dose of 0.3 mg/kg. The therapy was able to arrest the effusion in all patients for variable remission times: one dog is still in remission after 3 years, one dog died of progressive disease after 8 months and one cat died due to progressive neoplastic growth after six months, when the patient developed a mesothelial cuirass. The combination showed remarkable efficacy at controlling the malignant effusion secondary to MM in our patients and warrants further investigations.

In plain English

This article described three privately owned pets with malignant mesothelioma, two dogs and one cat, treated with piroxicam (an anti-inflammatory drug) combined with platinum chemotherapy given directly into the body cavity. The article did not report any asbestos exposure for these animals. Both dogs had mixed mesothelioma and the cat had epithelioid mesothelioma. The dogs received daily piroxicam by mouth for 4 months and four doses of cisplatin into the abdomen, one every three weeks. The cat received piroxicam injections every other day and four doses of carboplatin. Fluid drained from the abdomen averaged 180 ml. Side effects were limited to one episode of bloody stool (hematochezia) in a dog and in the cat, which required a one-week pause in piroxicam. One dog was still disease free at 2 years. In the other dog and the cat, fluid production fell by 90%, but the disease progressed and led to organ strangulation after 8 and 6 months respectively. The authors concluded that the combination should be further evaluated. They cautioned that mesothelioma may run a milder course in dogs than in people.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: case series (preliminary uncontrolled treatment report in three companion animals)
• Who was studied: Three privately owned pets with malignant mesothelioma: two dogs with mixed mesothelioma and one cat with epithelioid mesothelioma. Table 1 lists a Siberian husky (spelled 'Syberian'), a mixed breed dog and a domestic short hair cat, aged 9, 11 and 13 (units not stated), all with peritoneal location. Place and dates are not given in the body text.
• Exposure: No asbestos exposure is reported. The study examined a treatment. Dogs received piroxicam 0.3 mg/kg by mouth daily for 4 months plus cisplatin (CDDP) 50 mg per square meter into the abdomen every three weeks, for four doses. The cat received injectable piroxicam 0.3 mg/kg every other day for 4 months plus carboplatin 180 mg per square meter every 3 weeks, for four doses.
• Main results:
  • In all three animals, side effects were limited to one episode of hematochezia (bloody stool) in a dog and in the cat. This required a one-week pause in piroxicam.
  • At presentation, abdominal drainage removed an average of 180 ml of fluid.
  • One of the two dogs, which had tumor debulking, was still disease free at 2 years.
  • In the other dog and the cat, fluid production fell by 90%. Both developed progressive disease leading to organ strangulation, after 8 months (dog) and 6 months (cat).
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that the combination of intracavitary platinum compounds with piroxicam should be further evaluated.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The authors cautioned that mesothelioma probably has a more benign course in dogs than in people. They said this must be considered when judging uncontrolled reports of 1-year survival in dogs.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Chemotherapy, Mesothelioma, Neoplasm, Mesothelium, Biopsy, Carboplatin.

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