Biomedical subjects

Gillian Dank

Publications and source records attributed to Gillian Dank.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Evaluation of an actinomycin-D-containing combination chemotherapy protocol with extended maintenance therapy for canine lymphoma.

In this retrospective study, a 6-drug (prednisone, L-asparaginase, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and actinomycin-D) chemotherapy protocol with extended maintenance for the treatment of lymphoma was evaluated for efficacy and toxicity in 39 dogs. The complete remission rate was 97%, with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 331 d. The median overall survival (OS) was 461 d. Of the variables evaluated for prognostic significance, only immunophenotype and sex were found to be prognostic. Dogs with T-cell lymphoma had shorter PFS and OS than dogs with B-cell lymphoma. Castrated male dogs had a shorter PFS and OS than spayed female dogs. Although the majority of dogs experienced one or more episodes of chemotherapy associated toxicity, the majority of these episodes were mild and self-limiting. The results of this study warrant further investigation into the value of extended maintenance therapy and inclusion of actinomycin-D in combination chemotherapy protocols for canine lymphoma.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Spirocercosis-associated pyothorax in dogs.

The records of five dogs diagnosed with spirocercosis-associated pyothorax were retrospectively reviewed. On admission, the most common clinical findings were weakness, anorexia, depression, dyspnoea and fever. All dogs had typical oesophageal Spirocerca lupi granulomas. Contrast thoracic radiography revealed contrast material leakage from the oesophagus into the pleural cavity in two dogs only. All dogs were medically treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, repeated chest tube drainage and thoracic lavage, and four of the dogs were treated with doramectin. One dog was euthanased due to a concurrent non-related disease at the owners request while the remaining four survived. S. lupi infection should be included in the differential diagnoses of canine pyothorax in endemic areas. Conservative medical management of pyothorax with antihelmintic medication was shown to be effective in the treatment of S. lupi-associated pyothorax.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Murine xenograft model of Spirocerca lupi-associated sarcoma.

Nodular masses and granulomas of the esophagus are among the most frequent lesions caused by Spirocerca lupi, a nematode parasite of dogs, and neoplastic transformation of these granulomas to osteosarcoma or fibrosarcoma has been described. In this study, we developed a xenograft murine model of S. lupi-associated sarcoma. Samples of esophageal fibrosarcoma and osteosarcomas were excised from three dogs diagnosed with spirocercosis. These sarcomas were inoculated into three groups of 6-week-old NOD/SCID mice to create three tumor lines of S. lupi-associated sarcomas. Mice in all groups developed tumors after inoculation, and the cell lines could be further propagated as second-generation xenografts. We successfully established xenograft murine models of three different lines of S. lupi-associated sarcoma that offer readily available sources of these tumors for further experiments. This resource will facilitate studies on the malignant transformation of the granulomas, establishment of efficient chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimens, and identification of diagnostic molecular markers.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Concurrence between clinical and pathologic diagnoses in a veterinary medical teaching hospital: 623 cases (1989 and 1999).

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there was a decline in the percentage of dogs undergoing necropsies and whether there was substantial agreement or disagreement between clinical and pathologic diagnoses. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 623 dogs. PROCEDURE: Medical records of hospitalized dogs that died or were euthanatized and necropsied at a veterinary teaching hospital in 1989 and 1999 were reviewed. Clinical and pathologic diagnoses were recorded and compared. RESULTS: There was a significant decline in the necropsy rate of hospitalized dogs that died or were euthanatized in 1999, compared with 1989. In both 1989 and 1999, there was disagreement between the clinical and pathologic diagnoses in approximately a third of the cases. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Despite improved diagnostic methods, the accuracy of diagnosis did not improve significantly in 1999, compared with 1989. Necropsy is the best method to assess overall diagnostic accuracy. Increased availability of teaching funds may promote efforts to have necropsies performed in veterinary teaching hospitals.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Activating mutations in the catalytic or juxtamembrane domain of c-kit in splenic mast cell tumors of cats.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate splenic mast cell tumors (MCT) of cats for activating mutations in the proto-oncogene c-kit. SAMPLE POPULATION: 10 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded splenic MCT from cats in the pathology database of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis. PROCEDURE: Genomic DNA was isolated from tumor specimens, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was performed for exons 11, 12, and 17. The PCR products were analyzed by use of agarose gel electrophoresis and then directly sequenced. RESULTS: We did not identify mutations in the juxtamembrane domain (encoded by exons 11 and 12) or catalytic domain (encoded by exon 17) of c-kit in any of the splenic MCT specimens. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although mutations in the proto-oncogene c-kit occur frequently in naturally developing MCT in dogs and aggressive mastocytosis in humans, the data reported here documented that dysregulation of Kit function through activating mutations is unlikely in splenic MCT of cats. Therapeutic strategies aimed at inhibiting Kit signaling (ie, kinase inhibitors such as imatinib [STl571]) may not be of benefit for the treatment of this disease in cats.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Outcomes of cats with oral tumors treated with mandibulectomy: 42 cases.

Medical records of 42 cats treated with mandibulectomy for oral neoplasia at eight institutions were reviewed to determine morbidity, progression-free interval, and survival time. Progression-free and survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 56% and 49%, and 60% and 57%, respectively. Cats with squamous cell carcinoma had significantly shorter survival than cats with fibrosarcoma or osteosarcoma. Seventy-two percent of cats were dysphagic or inappetent immediately postoperatively, and 12% never regained the ability to eat. Despite acute morbidity in 98% and long-term morbidity in 76% of cats, 83% of the 30 owners providing information were satisfied with the outcome of mandibulectomy.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

bcl-2 and MIB-1 labeling indexes in cats with lymphoma.

Immunohistochemistry was used to examine feline lymphoid tumors for bcl-2 and MIB-1 expression. Tumor tissues from 29 cats were selected to represent 2 groups--cats that did not respond to chemotherapy and cats that responded to therapy. Median bcl-2 immunoreactivity was 60%, and median MIB-1 reactivity was 47%. There was no significant difference in median survival time between cats with tumors with high levels of bcl-2 expression and those with low levels of expression. There was no significant difference in median survival time between cats with tumors with high levels of MIB-1 expression and those with low levels of expression. Mean bcl-2 immunoreactivity was significantly (P = .0004) higher in low-grade (73.2%) than in high-grade (16.9%) lymphomas, whereas the mean MIB-1 immunoreactivity was significantly (P = .0201) higher in high-grade (61.2%) lymphomas than in low-grade (35.0%) lymphomas. The mean bcl-2 immunoreactivity was significantly (P = .0042) greater in T-cell lymphomas (66.8%) than in B-cell lymphomas (22.8%), whereas the mean MIB-1 immunoreactivity was significantly (P = .0052) lower in T-cell lymphomas (36.4%) than in B-cell lymphomas (65.2%). Although expression of bcl-2 and MIB-1 did not appear to be linked to responses to chemotherapy in cats with lymphoma, the data suggest a possible role for these regulatory proteins in the biology of feline lymphomas.

Animals↗