CARMUSTINE ASSOCIATED TO VINCRISTINE AND PREDNISONE IN THE TREATMENT OF CANINE LYMPHOMA

LUCAS, S.R.R.¹; COELHO, B.M.P¹; MARQUEZI, M.L.; FRANCHINI, M.L.; POZZI, D.H.B²

A chemotherapeutic protocol using carmustine-BCNU (50mg/m² at 6 weeks intervals) associated with vincristine (0,75mg/m² at 3 weeks intervals) and prednisone (40 mg/m² each other day) was evaluated in dogs with malignant lymphoma. Carmustine is a highly lipid-soluble chemotherapeutic agent in the nitrosourea subclass that rapidly crosses the blood-brain barrier and acts as a nonphase-specific alkylant agent. Seven dogs with multicentric lymphoma, stage III to V according WHO, were admitted and treated at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of the University of S�o Paulo, Brazil. The dogs received 2 to 7 cycles chemotherapics with carmustine plus VCR (median 5) and 4 to 8 cycles (median 6) only with VCR. Cumulatives doses of carmustine ranged from 100 to 298 mg/m². Six dogs (85,7%), achieved complete remission after induction phase. The survival period ranged from 102 to more than 800 days. One dog was still alive at 820 days after inicial treatment. Marked neutropenia was observed seven days after each chemotherapic cycle. Platelets and red blood cells had no significant alterations during treatment and no abnormalitites were found on biochemical profile that could be attributed to chemotherapic treatment. Carmustine can be an alternative option in the treatment of canine lymphoma.