Study Start Date: 09/01/2008
Study End Date: 09/01/2010

Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy for Non-Resectable Canine Urothelial Carcinoma

Bladder cancer in dogs has already spread at the time of diagnosis in half of our patients. Chemotherapy can slow the growth of the tumor, but the doses required to potentially cure the disease are so high that the systemic side effects would be too great to justify their use. New, minimally-invasive techniques allow us to achieve much higher concentrations of chemotherapy within the tumor that could not be achieved through the traditional routes.

Study Design:
Prospective case series

Sample Size:
17

Inclusion Criteria:

• Canine patients diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, urethra or prostate via cytology and/or histopathology that have not received prior treatment besides NSAIDs.
• Patients must have measurable disease.
• Signed owner consent for participation in this study.
• Patients must be presented to University of Pennsylvania for therapy.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Canine patients with severe cardiac, renal or hepatic comorbidities that would preclude the safe use of general anesthesia or potentially nephrotoxic medications such as meloxicam or iodinated contrast agents.
• Canine patients that have received previous chemotherapy or radiation for the TCC.
• Canine patients whose owners have NOT signed consent to participate in the study.

Study Controls:
None

Study Endpoints:
Recorded endpoints are disease progression (evaluated following 2 and 4 treatments) and survival times.

Costs/Reimbursements:
Follow-up staging and the entire procedure and general anesthesia will be covered by the grant.

Full Disclosure information:

• The study is funded by a grant from a private foundation established by a pet owner.
• The investigator has declared a conflict of interest: Dr Weisse is a paid consultant of Infiniti Medical.
• The study will be published if results are negative.
• The study will be reported on VIN.
• The authors will acknowledge VIN if the study is published.