Tolerability of Gemcitabine and Carboplatin Doublet Therapy in Cats with Carcinomas

Abstract

Background: This study was performed to determine the toxicity of gemcitabine-carboplatin doublet therapy in cats with carcinomas.

Hypothesis: Gemcitabine and carboplatin are safe in tumor-bearing cats.

Animals: Twenty cats with spontaneously occurring carcinomas.

Methods: A cohort of 6 cats received gemcitabine (2 mg/kg IV) on days 1, 8, and 15 and carboplatin (10 mg/kg IV) immediately after gemcitabine on day 1 of a 21-day cycle. A 2nd cohort of 14 cats received carboplatin 4 hours after gemcitabine on day 1 and gemcitabine on day 8 but not day 15. The cycles were repeated every 21 days.

Results: Cats in the 1st cohort received a median of 3.75 cycles per animal (range, 1–6). Two cats (33.3%) developed grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, 1 (16.7%) grade 4 thrombocytopenia, and 1 (16.7%) grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity. Gemcitabine dose reductions and treatment delays occurred in 1 and 4 cats, respectively. Cats in the 2nd cohort received a median of 2 cycles per animal (range, 0.5–10). Two cats (14.3%) had grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and 1 (7.1%) had grade 3 and 4 gastrointestinal toxicity. One cat required gemcitabine dose reduction and 6 had treatment delays. In the 2nd cohort, of 11 cats with measurable tumors, there was 1 complete response (pancreatic carcinoma) and 1 partial response (squamous cell carcinoma, receiving concurrent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Gemcitabine-carboplatin combination appears moderately well tolerated in tumor-bearing cats. Minimal patient benefit suggests that alternative schedules or combinations of gemcitabine with other agents should be explored.

Description
Keywords
Veterinary Sciences, Chemotherapeutics, Chemotherapy, Drug interactions, Oncology treatment, COOPERATIVE ONCOLOGY GROUP, CANCER CELL-LINES, PHASE-II, IN-VITRO, CLINICAL-EVALUATION, PRIMARY METABOLITE, PANCREATIC-CANCER, MALIGNANT-TUMORS, LUNG-CANCER, CISPLATIN
Citation