Lucy Tests New cancer Treatment

[lizbud]

Interesting report of a local dog who is involved in new treatment that
could help dogs & humans.

http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=7894279

[dragondawg]

Interesting report of a local dog who is involved in new treatment that
could help dogs & humans.

http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=7894279

The new part is the generic dye carrier attaching specifically to the tumor cell markers. The last 3-5 yrs the approach has been to stick a radioactive iodine molecule onto an antibody that would attach to the tumor cell, commonly called radioimmunotherapy.

The importance of having a genric dye carrier instead of an antibody is that the only antibody treatment for cancer available on the market is for humans. It's species specific in that you can not use human antibodies in dogs or other species. Treatment costs are measured in the thousands $$$s per month per antibody treatment (e.g. Rituxan) and jumps to tens of thousands per month when you include a radioactive tag. Given the cost and the relative return the manufacturer of the only antibody treatment for canine lymphoma discontinued their product over 5 years ago. So the big news here is a possible radioactive tag approach that could treat dogs, humans, or any other type of animal -assuming the dye is able to attach to the tumor cell surface. Ultimately combining a radioactive tag treatment with Chemo could give TCC puppies a much better chance at survival. Hopefully they can extend it via different dyes to other cancers.

[pitc9]

I wish Lucy all the best in the world!
I got teary eyed near the end when her owner is talking about her.