Hudson's tumors are shrinking!! All have them have shrunk by at least 25-50% and the biggest one has disappeared altogether from the x ray. This is fabulous news, of course. Hudson is still completely asymptomatic. He shows no signs of having cancer.
Since we are seeing improvement on the doxorubicin, we will finish out his course. Doxorubicin is heart toxic, so there is a set lifetime amount of it that a dog can have. Hudson can have two more treatments (aside from the one he received today) and then he must never have it again. Once he's completed the doxorubicin, he will begin a metronomic protocol. This protocol combines several medications: Piroxicam, deramaxx, Rimadyl (NSAID), doxycycline (an antibiotic) and cyclophoshamide, an oral chemotherapy drug. These medications work on slowing down the blood supply to cancer cells. By starving the cancer cells, you are limiting the growth they can achieve. They are unlikely to get smaller while on the metronomic regimen, but the point is to prolong quality of life by preventing or delaying further growth. Doxorubicin shrinks the tumors as much as possible, then the metronomic protocol keeps them small.
Conceivably, Hudson could go on to live for a year or more, provided the tumor growth remains minimal. We are so happy to have finally received some good news. I know that Izzy and Shira put in a good word to get Hudson some more time. :)
Sweet Hudson, I could not love you more if you were one of my own. I promise you my girls Izzy and Shira are watching out for you.....and a long time from now when you are ready, they will be waiting for you to show you where the cool kids hang out and play.
ReplyDeleteLove ~ Auntie Marie