Clinical Trials

Immunotherapy trial using CD40-activated B cells loaded with autologous tumor RNA for treatment of canine lymphoma

 

Canine lymphoma is an aggressive disease of malignant lymph cells. Tumors form primarily in lymph tissues, such as lymph nodes. Because lymphoma is a systemic disease, systemic treatment with chemotherapy is recommended. Seventy-80%of dogs initially respond to chemotherapy treatment, but the initial response is not durable and 80-90% of all treated patients eventually relapse, and the tumors re-grow and eventually become resistant to treatment. Survival times are, on average, around one year.

The purpose of this trial is to assess the potential benefits and side effects of using a novel type of immunotherapy treatment (a cancer “vaccine”) in addition to standard chemotherapy. The vaccine is designed to stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack the cancer anywhere in the body. We hope to prolong the duration of time which the patient is free of disease and to increase the percentage of long term lymphoma survivors. Requirements for admission to the study include

1. Diagnosis of lymphoma
2. Otherwise, the patient must be generally healthy
3. Surgical biopsy of one lymph node and removal of 10 ml of blood are required for vaccine preparation
4. Patients must be willing to undergo chemotherapy treatment at Penn
5. No previous treatment including prednisone or steroids as it interferes with the vaccine manufacturing
6. The dog must weight more than 5 kg (11 lbs)
7. Final eligibility will be determined after evaluation and complete staging have been completed by the Penn Oncology service

Owners are responsible for the costs of diagnostic staging prior to treatment, costs of chemotherapy (a standard 20-week protocol), and costs of follow-up staging and visits. Owners are required to treat their dogs at MJR-VHUP and are required to return for follow-up visits. Benefits to the owners include free lymph node biopsy, free manufacture and administration of the vaccine, and complete blood counts following the administration of the vaccine, and the potential benefit of longer term survival.

This protocol approved by institutional review (POAP#083). For more -information, please call (215) 746-2607 or email us at cancertrials@vet.upenn.edu and one of the investigators will return  your call shortly. Please contact us if you have a potential candidate and are interested in this study so we can facilitate an appointment for you.

Not accepting enrollments at this time