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Showing posts with label hemangiosarcoma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hemangiosarcoma. Show all posts

New Dog Cancer Cure: Targeted Chemo Hylaplat Gets Results

Canine Cancer is prevalent in Golden Retrievers
Photo Credit By cogdogblog 

A New Therapy for Dogs With Metastic Cancers Is Now Available And Getting Good Results


A new drug, HylaPlat, has produced high cure rates for many different forms of Canine Cancer. By way of targeting the cancer, and directly injecting it with Hylaplat chemotherapy, results have been dramatically improved locally, as well as systemically. So far the drug has proven highly effective on a variety of metastic cancers.  Trials are ongoing through veterinary practices, and your vet’s practice and your dog may be able to participate for free. Contact Information for canine cancer trial participation is located at the bottom of the article.

What is Hylaplat, The Injectable Chemotherapy?


The team at HylaPharm (a 2011 startup affiliated with the University of Kansas) blended Hyaluronan and Cisplatin to create HylaPlat.  The brain child of pharmaceutical chemist Laird Forrest Ph.D. and Daniel Aires, M.D., Director of dermatology at KU, Hylaplat is showing promise with canine cancers, and they hope to see it in human clinical trials as well in the future.
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Hyaluronan is a natural polymer found in the body throughout connective, epithelial and neural tissues. It contributes significantly to cell proliferation and migration, and may also be involved in the progression of some malignant tumors.

Discovered in 1845 and licensed for medical use in 1978, Cisplatin is a chemotherapy medication listed by the World Health Organization as one of the Essential Medications. Currently, it is used intravenously to treat a number of cancers, including testicular, breast, bladder, ovarian, cervical, lung, brain and esophageal cancers in humans. 

It works by binding to cancer cells and preventing DNA replication. However, it does have some serious side effects such as auditory, kidney and nerve damage as well as the nausea and vomiting often expected from chemotherapy treatments.
 
Utilizing a blend of Hyaluronan and Cisplatin, Hylaplat makes possible a non-destructive, local injection which “sticks” well to cancer cells, allowing for an efficient uptake of cisplatin into the tumor cells.

Localizing the treatment to the tumor site, allows for a lower, targeted dose to be administered, thereby minimizing some of the more threatening side effects to the kidneys, nerves and auditory organs.

Photo Credit Celsim Junior - Flickr


As explained by Dr. Ares, “Injecting it directly into the main cancer lesion results in a very high drug level compared to normal injections into the veins,” Aires said. “Furthermore, most cancer cells have a receptor on their surface that grabs onto hyaluronan. In general, more aggressive cancers and the hard-to-treat cancer stem cells have more of these receptors. This is another factor that can help target the drug to cancer cells.”

Additionally, with Hylaplat, the compound molecule itself is very small. Because the compound molecule of Hyaluronan and Cisplatin is only 20 nanometers in size, after doing its work in the tumor, HylaPlat drains easily into the lymph nodes, delivering a high dose of chemotherapy to any cancer cells that may be hiding there.

As a result, HylaPlat may have additional advantages for treating cancers that metastasize through the lymph nodes; a category that includes 85 percent of human cancers. Breast, ovarian, colon and lung cancer are included in this category of metastic cancers. Standard chemotherapy treatments, in use today, tend not to get into the lymph nodes at substantial therapeutic levels, resulting in a greater risk of relapse.


Use of Hylaplat to Treat Canine Cancer


Traditionally, researchers begin testing cancer treatment on laboratory animals by first inducing a laboratory derived cancer.  Unlike naturally occurring cancers, these tend to have homogenous cancer cells grown carefully under laboratory conditions.  They are not very hardy, unlike naturally occurring cancers, that tend to have diverse cells and are better at evading the body’s natural immune system. 

By using larger animals with systems more similar to that of the human anatomy, comparative oncology researchers can better understand how new drugs may affect human patients. Dogs with naturally occurring cancers are an ideal population for testing drugs on a diverse group of cancers. So far, HylaPlat has proven effective in animal models, and larger animal trials for submission to the Federal Drug Administration are currently under way.

Golden retriever receiving chemotherapy

The Initial Trial Results for Cancer in Large Breed Dogs

In the initial clinical trial, which started in 2012, seven large-breed dogs with small forms of oral cancer received a formulation of the Hylaplat chemotherapy. The dogs in this study were suffering with naturally occurring cancers.

Of those first seven dogs, the cancer in three patients disappeared, and two other dogs showed signs of partial remission or slowing of the disease. These promising results gave rise to a feature story on a local television news network. Hylapharm was suddenly flooded with requests from pet owners with dogs suffering from all forms of cancer that wanted in on the trial.

Faced with this tremendous demand and the potential for experimenting with all sizes of dogs and various metastic cancers, researchers lifted the restrictions on the size of the dogs and types of cancers being tested. Additionally, local veterinarians were trained to use the treatment for cancers all over the bodies of dogs, including muscle and bone tumors, melanomas, sarcomas and lymphoma.

Injection of Hylaplat is performed by first sedating the dog, then injecting the chemotherapy directly into the tumor. The original treatment protocol called for four injections over a period of several weeks, however, some dogs have responded after just one injection. In general, the dogs show little to no side-effects to the treatment, with them adapting to their normal routines shortly after treatment.

Better yet, at this time, it is a very affordable course of treatment, while traditional chemotherapy has been cost prohibitive for many pet owners. Currently, the owner need only pay for the sedation and administration of Hylaplat. Traditional courses of chemo can run into the thousands of dollars with side-effects that often cause owners to regret their decision to pursue it.

Getting a canine version of HylaPlat to market, however, appears to be on the fast track, which should come as a delight to pet owners and the drug's creators.


The Canine Cancer trial is still accepting patients. If you think your dog could be a candidate, please call 913-588-3840 or email jadams4@kumc.edu.

All photos licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
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How important is a dog's diet?



Just how important is diet for our dogs?? I believe it's one of the most important keys to health & longevity!! Followed by only titer testing after initial puppy shots (other than rabies required by law), Avoiding toxic chemicals in the home, Avoiding toxic insecticides aka Flea/Tick "meds", & using RX drugs as band-aids! As a species appropriate raw feeder of over 13 years & owning a Canine Wellness & Nutrition Co. Consulting & Educating people all over the world. I know & see first hand the benefits of a balanced whole food raw diet. Not only can disease prevented in our dogs but a whole RAW food diet can prevent cancer in our dog & is being used to SUCCESSFULLY TREAT CANCER IN OUR DOGS!! I have 2 dogs in cancer remission currently thru diet alone! I recently learned of this amazing place in Austin, Texas that rescues shelter dogs with cancer & treats them with food alone, RAW FOOD & guess what they go into remission!! Makes me so happy!! So, NO drugs, NO chemo, NO radiation! This diet is a raw high fat, moderate protein with fibrous veggies diet otherwise know at a Ketogenic diet!
Watch world-renowned cancer researcher, Dr. Thomas Seyfried present success in treat cancer thru a raw diet & the reaction by of the top vet school.




3 Effective Treatments of Dog Cancer Hemangiosarcoma

Three alternative therapies for hemangiosarcoma of internal organs to be used either in conjunction with each other and/or traditional surgery or as an alternative to the traditional western approaches of surgery and chemotherapy. The remedies recommended are presented in order of importance for immediate benefit, maximum long term benefit and overall cost.
Golden retriever at risk for developing hemangiosarcoma
By Dirk Vorderstraße

How Long Can a Dog Live with Hemangiosarcoma

Currently there is no cure for the internal organ form of hemangiosarcoma.  However, dermal hemangiosarcoma may be effectively treated with removal of the tumor and a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

In the instance of hemangiosarcoma of the internal organs, many dogs will only survive a few days following diagnosis, due to hemorrhaging of the tumor.

In instances of operable hemangiosarcoma tumors, dogs live an average of 89 days following surgery, with no other treatments or interventions.

Dogs who receive chemotherapy following surgery, live and average of 180 days following surgery.

Studies performed by University of Pennsylvania demonstrate that dogs receiving the Coriolus Versicolor mushroomextract produced by I’m Yunity, with no other treatment (i.e. no surgery or chemotherapy), lived and average of 199 days, while some participants were still alive one year after the study. The I’m Yunity treatment protocol produced no negative side effects, and can be significantly less expensive than surgery followed by chemotherapy.


How Can Alternative and Holistic Medicine Help Dogs with Hemangiosarcoma

Canine hemangiosarcoma is an insidious disease, in that dogs tend to tolerate the tumors well, with few signs of illness, until the cancer has progressed to a very advanced stage. Often, the diagnosis come with a very grim prognosis – your dog has one or two days left to live.  These words leave many owners stunned and wishing they had more time to spend with their beloved companion.

The early signs of the hemangiosarcoma are vague and may only be detected a week or two at most, prior to collapse.

Early Signs of Hemangiosarcoma May Include:

  • Depression or restlessness
  • Inappetence
  • Pale Gums (a sign of anemia due to blood loss)
  • Easy fatigue and lethargy
  • Abdominal swelling or a sense of heaviness in the dog’s chest
  • Heavy breathing, shallow breathing or rapid breathing
  • Abnormal stools, sometimes pink with a consistency of putty
  • Abnormal heart rhythm
  • Seizures
  • Collapse: a late stage occurrence (this often comes once the tumor has ruptured, and the dogs is hemorrhaging internally)

The hemangiosarcoma tumor is vascular in nature, meaning the tumor develops its own blood vessels.  However, these blood vessels are of inferior quality, and as the tumor grows, the vessels eventually begin to rupture, resulting in internal bleeding. The tumors may be located in the abdomen, frequently attached to the spleen (splenetic), liver or gall bladder, or may be located in the heart muscle (cardiac). Once the tumor ruptures, it bathes the abdominal cavity in cancer cells, allowing the cancer to metastasize quickly. 

Until recently, the prognosis for a dog diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma was very poor.  Traditional treatment includes surgery to remove the tumor and the organ the tumor is attached to. In splenetic hemangiosarcoma a splenectomy is performed. If the tumor is attached to the liver, part of the liver may be able to be removed and the liver resected. Generally in instances of cardiac hemangiosarcoma, the tumor is inoperable. 

However, dogs may be in such poor condition upon diagnosis, that survival of the surgery is questionable. Additionally, many families find it prohibitively expensive, given the poor long-term prognosis of dogs with hemangiosarcoma.

In western approaches to this cancer, surgery is usually followed by chemotherapy, although this cancer typically does not respond well to chemo. Average longevity following surgery and chemo is 180 days.  Additionally, chemo may have a severely negative impact on the quality of the dog’s life.  Many owners express regret in opting for chemotherapy, and some feel that it hastened their dog’s demise.
breeds at risk for hemangiosarcoma
By Boxercab/Flickr

What Should I Do If My Dog Is Diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma

If your dog has been diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, request a referral to a holistic veterinarian. Holistic vets are typically licensed vets trained in western veterinary medicine. These vets have opted to add other arts, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, to their practice. As they are also “real vets”, they are more readily accepted in the veterinary community than are holistic medical practitioners in the human medical community. Integrative care is developing in the mainstream veterinary practices at a faster rate than in the medical community.

The holistic vet may be able to stop the hemorrhage through the use of a Chinese herbal compound called Yunnan Baiyao. This may improve your pet’s ability to tolerate surgery, or if that is not an option, to stop the bleeding and reduce swelling and pain, while you attempt increase the dog’s lifespan with non-surgical treatments, such as turkey tail mushroom extract, acupuncture and ozone therapy.   We recommend that you consult with a holistic vet prior to implementing any of the therapies below, although depending on your geographic location, that may be difficult or impossible. 

Below we discuss the uses of each therapy, dosages, as well as outcome expectancies from anecdotal evidence as well as scientific studies.

What Is Yunnan Baiyao and How Does It Help Dogs with Hemangiosarcoma

Yunnan Baiyao (also spelled Yunnan Paiyao) is a proprietary Chinese herbal formulation that originated in the Yunnan province in China. Developed in the early 1900s, the name translates as bai meaning “white” and yao meaning “medicine” of Yunnan Province.  
This is a compound of various ingredients, whose exact formulation is a closely guarded secret in China.  While its formula is patented by the Chinese government and considered a state secret, it is believed that the main ingredients of Yunnan Baiyao include two types of ginseng, various yam roots, ox gall bladder, pseudoginseng, sweet geranium, borneol, musk and more. In Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) this formula is used to Transform Stasis, Tonify Qi, Resolve Stagnation, Invigorate Blood and Clear Heat.

Blood stasis or stagnation is believed to be the underlying cause of many ailments according to Chinese Traditional Medicine. Acupuncture, for example, is another therapy designed to reduce stasis and clear qi. However it is Yunnan Baiyao’s ability to stop bleeding and heal external wounds, as well as internal hemorrhages, and reduce pain that makes this TCM useful in the treatment of hemangiosarcoma and the hemorrhaging tumors.

Yunnan Baiyao (YB) has been carried by military personal in Vietnam and China to stop bleeding from open wounds and speed the healing process.  Externally, when applied to wounds, YB aids in granulation of the wound. When ingested for internal bleeding, YB aids in coagulation. YB is already used in dentistry to stop bleeding and promote healing for extractions and oral surgery. Now Western medicine is taking a look at how it may be able to help patients with chronic internal bleeding.

Yunnan Baiyao in Human Medicinal Treatments

  • In one human study, 100 participants with chronic upper gastrointestinal bleeding were treated with a Yunnan Baiyao blend of herbals. A remarkable 95% effective rate was reported over a short period of treatment.
  • Research at Peking University confirms its value for surgical applications. By administering Yunnan Baiyao for a few days before surgery, patients experienced a one third reduction in bleeding during and immediately after surgery, and when given for a few days after surgery, patients also experienced significantly reduced swelling.(1)
  • In other studies, Yunnan Baiyao taken orally has been shown to decrease liver bleeding in lab animals.  Similarly, studies have shown that Yunnan Baiyao, when taken orally, decreases bleeding times in ponies and rabbits.  It also works to slow bleed times when the powder is applied to a bleeding wound.
  • Anecdotal evidence by dog owners and holistic vets demonstrates that hemangiosarcoma patients can recover from the collapse phase of the disease with an “emergency” dose of Yunnan Baiyao. (That is the “red” pill in the package, also referred to as the “safety” pill, which we will discuss under Yunnan Baiyao dosage).

How Yunnan Baiyao Works to Stop Bleeding

It has been theorized that the stop-bleeding action of Yunnan Baiyao may be due to the presence of microscopic plant fibers (nanofibers) in the compound that stimulate platelets to aggregate and form clots. This could explain how a low dosage of herbal material, might have such dramatic effect. The supplement is intended to be used for a very short time 2-5 days.


Anecdotally, university surgeons are using YB capsules orally as a pre-med to reduce or prevent adverse bleeding during surgery. In holistic vet practices, YB has been an invaluable aid in stopping leakage from splenic hemangiosarcoma masses, resulting in decreases of the associated anemia, improvement of quality of life, and increased longevity, especially when surgical intervention is not an option or has failed.

dog cancer treatment yunnan paiyao for hemangiosarcoma
Traditional Chinese Medicine with internal stop-bleed properties

Dog Dosage for Yunnan Baiyao

Administration and dosage
Yunnan Baiyao comes as a patch to be applied externally or as a liquid or as a capsule. In treatment of dogs, the capsule method is preferred.

The capsule is available in a package of 16 - 250 mg capsules. The small red tablet (the “safety pill”) in the middle of the blister packet is equal in potency to the rest of the capsules combined and is to be reserved for emergencies (severe hemorrhage).

How Much Yunnan Baiyao Dosage by Weight:

For dogs under 10 lbs, give 1 capsule by mouth one time a day.
For dogs from 10 to 30 lbs, give 1 capsule by mouth two times a day.
For dogs above 30 but less than 60 lbs, give 2 capsules two times a day.
For dogs above 60 lbs, give 2 capsules three times a day.

For dogs with hemangiosarcoma the standard treatment protocol would be five days on and a five day off for a rest period, alternating off and on every five days. This off and on schedule is intended to avoid overdose as it can result in liver damage. However, if your dog noticeably goes downhill during the off phase of the cycle, you can reduce the daily supplement intake and keep him on YB daily. For example, a 75-pound dog can be dosed one capsule twice daily for longer than one year as part of a cancer management protocol, with no adverse effects having been noted.

In instances of collapse due to a rupture of the tumor, the red pill is to be given, and is the only pill that day. If recovery is insignificant the red pill may be given the following day.  There is no point in worrying about liver damage if the patient is going to bleed out from hemorrhaging. 

Side Effects of Yunnan Baiyao
  • Stomach upset
  • Allergic reaction (hives etc) and in rare cases anaphylactic shock
  • Liver problems (resulting from over-use). Serious side effects are not expected, and liver problems are likely to be mild, although dogs with existing liver disease might experience more issues during over-use of the medicine.
Overdoses of Yunnan Baiyao can cause effects similar to aconitine poisoning. This could include:
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Pain
  • Temporary paralysis


Turkey Tail Mushroom Extract To Prolong Dogs’ Lives with No Side Effects


In a University of Pennsylvania study, funded by Chinese Medicine Holding LTD., dogs with hemangiosarcoma were treated with a compound derived from the Coriolus Versicolor mushroom, also known as the turkey tail mushroom due to its variegated, brown coloration and distinctive fan shaped growth pattern. Treatment with the mushroom extract branded under I’m-Yunity resulted in the longest survival times ever reported for dogs with the disease.

The Coriolus Versicolor mushroom, known commonly in Traditional Chinese Medicine as the Yunzhi mushroom, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. Two compounds within the mushroom, Polysaccharide Krestin (PSK) and Polysaccharide Peptide (PSP), are believed to have immune-boosting properties. Over the past two decades, studies have indicated that PSP may also have a tumor-fighting effect. According to the Mayo Clinic, clinical trials with a combination of chemotherapy and PSK have been show to benefit patients with stomach and colorectal cancers. (PSK extract is approved for clinical use in Japan, further studies are required in the USA for FDA approval).

The University of Pennsylvania (UP) researchers studied dogs with naturally occurring hemangiosarcoma to see what effects the Yunzhi mushroom extract would have on their patients. Fifteen dogs who had been diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma participated in the trial. Divided into three groups of five, each group received a varying dose — 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg/day — of I’m-Yunity, a formulation of PSP which is also readily available over the Internet. The dog owners were instructed to give their dog a capsule of I’m-Yunity, daily. The owners brought their dogs to UP’s Ryan Veterinary Hospital for follow-up visits on a monthly basis for blood sample testings and ultrasounds to determine the extent that tumors had developed or spread in the dogs’ bodies.

According to researcher Cimino Brown, “We were shocked! Prior to this, the longest reported median survival time of dogs with hemangiosarcoma of the spleen that underwent no further treatment was 86 days. We had dogs that lived beyond a year with nothing other than this mushroom as treatment.” (2)

Not only had the dog’s survival times increased with the use of I’m-Yunity, but unlike chemotherapy, there were no reported side effects.  Dogs receiving the highest dosage, 100 mg/day, had the longest average survival time, however the difference in median survival times between dosages was not statistically significant. University of Pennsylvania intends to mount several more experiments with I’m-Yunity and canine hemangiosarcoma.

While I’m-Yunity was the brand used in the experiment, other manufacturers exist that charge one third of the price of I’m-Yunity. Many holistic practitioners use Host Defense Turkey Tail Mushroom 500 mg 120 Caps with good results.

Host Defense Turkey Tail Mushroom Extract Dosage
Dogs under 40 pounds ½ capsule (sprinkled on moist food or yogurt)
Dogs 40 pounds and over one capsule per day
Dogs over 100 pounds two capsules a day.

Side Effects

None have been noted in canines.  Humans have experienced dark stools and darkening of the finger nails.




I’m-Yunity Dosage Recommendation
For dogs under 50 pounds 50 mg per day
For dogs 50 pounds and over 100 MG per day
(Recently I'm Yunity has experienced a shortage in supply, you may have to purchase an alternative brand until this is resolved)










low carbohydrate canine cancer diet recipe

Sample Canine Cancer Diet Recipe

In conjunction with the above TCM treatments, you will want to switch your dog to a grain-free, organic diet high in dark leafy green vegetables in order to help boost the immune system. Cancer cells prefer to feed on calories from carbohydrates, so minimizing the amount of carbs in the diet, may help to starve the cancer cells. 

Conversely, cancer cells do not feed readily on calories from fat. While the canine body, on the other hand, easy makes good use of fat based calories. Adding Omega 3 fatty acids through wild sourced fish oils and sardines, can improve your dog’s appetite and muscle mass.

(If cooking for your dog is too time consuming, you can choose an organic kibble with freeze dried fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants.  Castor and Pollux’s Organix is highly recommended as is the Fromm brand of dog foods.)

When feeding a commercial kibble feel free to add the following proteins to the kibble:
  • Canned Sardines
  • Raw or Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Kefir or Active Yogurt
  • Wild Sourced Fish Oil or Salmon Oil Supplements


If you feel up to cooking for your dog you will want to mix the following ingredients in a food processor:
  • 4 pounds organic (or at least antibiotic/hormone free) chicken (baked or raw)
  • 2 chopped carrots
  • 3 raw eggs
  • 1 cup yogurt (active) or kefir
  • 4 cups leafy green vegetables (dark outer leaves of romaine, frozen chopped collards, spinach, kale or a mixture of all of these). The lettuce family of dark lettuces are rich in vitamins A, C and K; eating them will help your dog’s blood to clot normally. Kale, mustard greens, collard greens, cabbage and broccoli are cruciferous leafy greens. These vegetables are high in nutrients and contain glucosinolates, which inhibit the growth of certain cancers.
  • Other antioxidants that can be added include blueberries, seeded apples, broccoli,
  • Additionally you can add canned pumpkin to the mixture if your dog is having loose stools.
Once the ingredients have been blended, you can form patties for each meal time and freeze them.


Summary

Diagnosis of internal hemangiosarcoma is very serious, as it metastasize quickly and is only very rarely curable. Researchers are working on early detection methods that may improve the prognosis of dogs diagnosed at early stages of the disease. The alternative therapies in this article can help to extend your pet's life and improve the remaining quality of life. 

This article is intended for informational purposes to educate pet owners on alternative treatments available to owners. Pet owners should not to implement any suggestions on animal health treatments without  consultation with a licensed veterinarian. If your pet is experiencing health issues, please contact your licensed veterinarian.

References:

(1) YUNNAN PAIYAO Uses for injury and surgery; gastro-intestinal, respiratory, and urogenital disorders
by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon http://www.itmonline.org/articles/yunnan_paiyao/yunnan_paiyao.htm

(2) Compound Derived From a Mushroom Lengthens Survival Time in Dogs With Cancer, Penn Vet Study Finds
https://news.upenn.edu/news/compound-derived-mushroom-lengthens-survival-time-dogs-cancer-penn-vet-study-finds

All Image Credits [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons


4 Promising Studies: Early Detection and Treatment Options for Canine Hemangiosarcoma

Courtesy of Public Domain Images
Hemangiosarcoma is a form of cancer found almost exclusively in dogs. A relatively common canine cancer (6-8% of all canine cancers) it is estimated that 2 million of 73 million dogs currently alive in the United States will develop the disease and die from it.

At this time, it is considered incurable, as it remains symptomless until the advanced stages of the disease.  The current standard of care, surgery and chemotherapy, have proven to extend the life to the affected dog a mere median of 180 days with surgery alone, and an additionally 180 days with chemotherapy added to surgical intervention.

In the wake of these poor treatment outcomes, research has focused on early detection of the disease as well as a new, very promising alternative medicine approach.

Hemangiosarcoma

Hemangiosarcoma is an indolent cancer, meaning it initially develops very slowly, asymptomatically and painlessly.  The most common primary sites of the disease are the spleen, right atrium of the heart and the tissue beneath the skin.  In the later stages of the disease, the cancer aggressively metastasizes to the lungs, liver and intestines.   While dogs of any age and breed may be susceptible to hemangiosarcoma, it occurs more commonly in dogs beyond middle age, and has a higher incidence in breeds such as German Shepherd Dogs, Golden Retrievers, Portuguese Water Dogs and Skye Terriers, suggesting a genetic component is involved.

The Canine Genome

The completion of the Canine Genome Project has spurred research into the genetic components of a wide variety of physical ailments believed to have heritable factors. Researchers at Modiano Lab at the University of Minnesota have taken an interest in the genetic components contributing to hemangiosarcoma.   Three of the more promising approaches involve mapping the risk alleles associated with the disease, determining the genetic, breed-specific abnormalities of the tumors themselves and developing a blood test for early detection of cancer cells via flow cytology.

The first project, developed in collaboration with Dr. Matthew Breen, focused on the possibility of breed specific abnormalities that may be detectable in tumors arising in dogs of different breeds. The initial results were promising; the data showed that tumors from dogs of one specific breed are functionally and genetically more similar to each other than they are to tumors from dogs of other breeds. This information demonstrates that heritable risk factors contribute to the development of canine cancer. More importantly, these results are the first step toward developing prevention and treatment strategies that address the specific causes underlying the biology of canine hemangiosarcoma.

The second project of great promise, developed in collaboration with the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, has begun the process of mapping the risk alleles for the development of both Lymphoma and Hemangiosarcoma in the following target breeds:

Turkey Tail Fungus - Penn State's Magic Mushrooms see below
Courtesy of Wallwork Family Pages

  • Australian Shepherd
  • Bernese Mountain Dog
  • Border Collie
  • Boxer
  • Briard
  • Bullmastiff
  • Cocker Spaniel
  • Flat-coated Retriever
  • German Shepherd Dog
  • Golden Retriever
  • Greyhound
  • Irish Setter
  • Keeshond
  • Labrador Retriever
  • Mastiff
  • Poodle
  • Portuguese Water Dog
  • Rottweiler
  • Vizsla
  • Saluki
Researchers are currently seeking samples for this research in the form of blood samples and tumor samples with associated pedigree information.  Samples from mixed breeds and other breeds are welcome from both healthy (aged) dogs and affected dogs.  To learn more about how to contribute to the project visit the Modiano Labs website.

Early Cancer Detection: Flow Cytometry

Once we have a genetic test that can forewarn us of a genetic predisposition to developing specific cancers, we will want to be able to detect the disease at an early stage of its development, well before it becomes symptomatic.

As cancer tumors grow, they shed cells into the blood stream.  However, the tumor cells are shed so infrequently that they cannot be detected in routine blood tests. Enter the technology called flow cytometry. Here cells are “tagged” with fluorescent molecules that identify their lineage of origin, they are then run through an instrument (the flow cytometer) that combines optics and fluidics information through a software capable of analyzing hundreds of thousands of cells in a matter of minutes.

Researchers have employed this technology, and have successfully shown proof of principle for this test. Idexx Laboratories has licensed the technology from the University of Colorado, although the ultimate affordability of employing this technology in local veterinary practices tests remains to be seen.  Another issue with this technology, is that it does not tell us where the site of origin of the tumor is. Early treatment will therefore need to be able to treat the disease independent of the site of origin.

The Biggest Breakthrough In Hemangiosarcoma Cancer Treatment: Penn State’s Magic Mushrooms

In a Penn State study funded by Chinese Medicine Holding LTD. and released in September 2012, dogs with hemangiosarcoma were treated with a compound derived from the Coriolus Versicolor mushroom, resulting in the longest survival times ever reported for dogs with the disease.

The Coriolus Versicolor mushroom, known commonly as the Yunzhi mushroom, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. A compound within the mushroom, polysaccharopeptide, or PSP, is believed to have immune-boosting properties. Over the past two decades, studies have indicated that PSP may also have a tumor-fighting effect.

Penn State researchers studied dogs with naturally occurring hemangiosarcoma to see what effects, the Yunzhi mushroom would have on their patients. Fifteen dogs that had been diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma participated in the trial. Divided into three groups of five, each group received a different dose — 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg/day — of I’m-Yunity, a formulation of PSP which is also readily available over the Internet. The dog owners were instructed to give their dog a capsule of I’m-Yunity, daily. The owners brought their dogs to Penn’s Ryan Veterinary Hospital for follow-up visits on a monthly basis for blood sample testings and ultrasounds to determine the extent that tumors had developed or spread in the dogs’ bodies.

“We were shocked,” Cimino Brown said of Penn State. “Prior to this, the longest reported median survival time of dogs with hemangiosarcoma of the spleen that underwent no further treatment was 86 days. We had dogs that lived beyond a year with nothing other than this mushroom as treatment.”

Not only had the dog’s survival times increased with the use of PSP, but unlike chemotherapy, there were no reported side effects.  Dogs receiving the highest dosage, 100 mg/day, had the longest median survival time, however the difference in survival times between dosages was not statistically significant.

While not inexpensive, this treatment is certainly more affordable than chemotherapy.  Those on tight budgets, may consider using this supplement at the lower dosage without fear of significantly impacting survival rates.  However, it should be noted that while the PSP, I’m Yunity, extends life and improves quality of life, it has not been shown to be a cure for hemangiosarcoma.

The Penn State researchers are preparing to pursue further trials of I’m-Yunity in dogs with hemangiosarcoma to confirm and refine their results. One upcoming trial will compare I’m-Yunity to a placebo for those owners who choose not to pursue chemotherapy for their pet; the other will compare the compound with the current standard-of-care, chemotherapy.

Here are some options for Organic Turkey Tail Mushroom Extract 

 

The liquid form may be easier to administer.  The capsules are 500mg, so you would need to open the capsule and shake out 1/4 of the mushroom extract. For larger dogs (80 lbs and up) you may want to give them one third of a capsule or approximately 165mg.

We will keep you posted as more information comes in from the ongoing Penn State Research.

For information on Canine Osteosarcoma please click here.