Retrospective study demonstrates favorable tolerability and response to sequential COP and doxorubicin in cats with high-grade lymphoma, suggesting an effective therapeutic approach.
Key Points
To evaluate the tolerability and clinical efficacy of a sequential COP induction and doxorubicin consolidation chemotherapy protocol in cats diagnosed with high-grade lymphoma.
Retrospective review of records from 2005 to 2024 for cats with high-grade lymphoma treated with weekly COP (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, prednisolone) for 6 weeks followed by doxorubicin every 3 weeks for 6 doses (N=27).
Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival time (ST) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and evaluated across clinical variables using log-rank tests.
The overall response rate at 6 weeks following initiation was 77.7%, with 37.0% (n=10) achieving complete remission and 44.4% (n=12) achieving partial remission during COP induction.
Median PFS was 98 days (IQR 41–141) and median survival time was 154 days (IQR 102–546); cats achieving complete remission post-doxorubicin had a median PFS of 554.5 days and survival of 546 days.
Severe adverse events were uncommon and limited to grade 3 (n=3) and grade 4 (n=3) neutropenia during the COP phase, with lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio and end-of-protocol response significantly predicting survival.