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College of Veterinary Medicine

Canine Osteosarcoma Trials

Clinical, Molecular, and Immune Characterization of Naturally-Occuring Osteosarcoma in Dogs

Principal Investigator

Dr. Michael Childress, Professor of Comparative Oncology

Background

Osteosarcoma (OS) commonly occurs in the leg bones of large and giant breed dogs, such as Rottweilers, Saint Bernards, and Greyhounds. The standard treatment of OS involves surgical amputation of the affected leg followed by chemotherapy, which extends survival time for most dogs, while also preserving a good quality of life. However, up to 1/3 of dogs treated this way will die of cancer spread within 4-6 months, a time frame that is not much different from that of dogs treated by amputation only.

To better understand the biological factors affecting this variability in survival time, we are enrolling dogs with OS in a study where they will be treated with amputation only . Dogs in this study may not receive chemotherapy or other tumor-targeting therapies after undergoing amputation. The dogs will be observed periodically at Purdue until the time of natural death or euthanasia due to OS. Tumor tissue samples, blood samples, and stool samples will be collected from these dogs at several time points to determine how the genetic makeup of the cancer, the immune system, and fecal microorganisms (i.e., “microbiome”) interact to affect the clinical aggressiveness of OS. This is a multi-institutional study currently being conducted at several US veterinary colleges.

Eligibility for Dogs to Participate in the Study

  • Histopathologically or cytologically confirmed OS of a long bone on the leg (humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia)
    • Note that dogs can be enrolled based upon how the tumor appears on x-rays if previous attempts at biopsy or cytology were non-diagnostic
  • Minimum body weight 25 kg (55 lbs.)
  • Dogs must be able to walk well on 3 limbs, as determined by veterinarians at Purdue
  • No evidence of cancer spread seen on baseline chest x-rays or abdominal sonogram
  • Dogs must be generally healthy and capable to taking care of their basic needs (eating, drinking, urinating and defecating in appropriate places) at home
  • Dogs must not have received prior treatment for osteosarcoma, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, investigational therapies, or bisphosphonate drugs (e.g., zoledronate, pamidronate)
  • Dogs can be enrolled in the trial if they have previously been treated with medications for pain, including NSAIDs (e.g. Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Previcox, Metacam)

Exclusion Criteria

  • Current use of medications that affect the function of the immune system
    • Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone, dexamethasone)
    • Apoquel
    • Cyclosporine
    • Mycophenolate
  • Significant comorbid disease that precludes safe anesthesia for surgery or may affect overall survival time
    • Includes, but is not limited to, congestive heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms requiring medication, clinical bleeding disorders, liver failure, or kidney failure
  • Hematocrit <25%
  • Platelets <100,000/ul
  • Clinically significant abnormalities on baseline blood tests (as determined by veterinarians at Purdue)

Financial Support

  • The cost of baseline screening tests at Purdue to determine eligibility for the trial is capped at $100
  • All costs related to the clinical trial are fully covered.

Trial Status

Actively Recruiting

Questions

Call Dr. Michael Childress at 765-494-1107 or the Clinical Trial Nurses, Lindsey Fourez or Araynna Holland, at 765-494-1130 or 765-496-5966. Please leave a message for call back.

Functional Imaging of Osteosarcoma to Improve Assessment of Immunotherapy Efficacy

 

Principal Investigator

Dr. Michael Childress, Professor of Comparative Oncology

Background

Many of the dramatic recent successes in cancer therapy have come from drugs that activate the immune system to attack cancer. However, these drugs are typically very expensive and benefit only a relatively small fraction of all cancer patients. Advanced imaging tests provide detailed information about tumor biology, blood flow, and metabolism, some of which is related to the activity of the immune system within a tumor. 

We are currently studying osteosarcoma using two advanced imaging methods – dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (DCE-CT) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) – to better understand how treatments activate the immune system to attack this cancer. Dogs enrolled in this study will be placed under anesthesia to have DCE-CT and MRS performed on their primary tumor prior to undergoing surgical amputation. Samples will be collected from the tumor following amputation to examine the type of immune cells present within the tumor. Information learned from this study will serve as a baseline against which we can compare images from the tumors of dogs that have been treated with immune therapies. We ultimately plan to use this information to help us determine if an immune-targeting therapy is likely to activate the immune system and therefore benefit specific dogs, allowing us to personalize immune-targeted therapy in dogs with osteosarcoma.

Eligibility for Dogs to Participate in the Study

  • Histopathologically or cytologically confirmed osteosarcoma of a long bone on the leg (humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia)
  • Dog owners must be willing to allow their dog to undergo surgical amputation of the affected leg
  • Dogs must be considered healthy and fit enough to undergo general anesthesia and amputation, as determined by veterinarians at Purdue
  • No evidence of cancer spread seen on baseline imaging tests done at Purdue (such as X-rays, ultrasound scans, or CT scans)
  • Dogs must not have received prior treatment for osteosarcoma, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, investigational therapies, or bisphosphonate drugs (e.g., zoledronate, pamidronate)
  • Dogs can be enrolled in the trial if they have previously been treated with medications for pain, including NSAIDs (e.g. Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Previcox, Metacam)

Exclusion Criteria

  • Current use of medications that affect the function of the immune system
    • Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone, dexamethasone)
    • Apoquel
    • Cyclosporine
    • Mycophenolate
  • Significant comorbid disease that precludes safe anesthesia and/or surgical amputation
    • Includes, but is not limited to, congestive heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms requiring medication, clinical bleeding disorders, liver failure, or kidney failure

Financial Support

  • All costs related to the study (imaging and anesthesia charges) are fully covered.
  • A hospital credit in the amount of $2,000 is provided to the owners of all dogs participating in the study. This credit may be used to defray other expenses associated with osteosarcoma treatment, including cancer staging, surgery, and chemotherapy.

Trial Status

Actively Recruiting

Questions

Call Dr. Michael Childress at 765-494-1107 or the Clinical Trial Nurses, Lindsey Fourez or Araynna Holland, at 765-494-1130 or 765-496-5966. Please leave a message for call back.

Biodynamic Imaging to Predict Chemotherapy Response in Osteosarcoma

 

Principal Investigator

Dr. Michael Childress, Professor of Comparative Oncology

Background

Chemotherapy is part of the definitive treatment for dogs with osteosarcoma. It is typically given following surgical removal of the primary tumor and is intended to prevent or delay the growth of microscopic cancer that has spread (metastasized) to other organs, most often the lungs. By preventing the growth of microscopic cancer, chemotherapy extends survival for most dogs with osteosarcoma. The drugs carboplatin, cisplatin, and doxorubicin all improve survival times for dogs with osteosarcoma. However, some dogs benefit more from chemotherapy than others and the optimal chemotherapy drug for any individual dog's cancer is difficult to predict. 

We are currently studying a technique called biodynamic imaging (BDI) to determine whether it can predict the effectiveness of the drug carboplatin in individual dogs with osteosarcoma. Dogs enrolled in this study will undergo standard therapy consisting of a drug called carboplatin given once every 3 weeks for a total of 5 doses. After this, dogs will be screened with x-rays for cancer spread at Purdue every 3 months for up to 1 year. BDI data will be examined after the study is complete to determine the extent to which BDI predicts survival time. 

Eligibility for Dogs to Participate in the Study 

  • Histopathologically or cytologically confirmed osteosarcoma of a long bone on the leg (humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia). 
    • Cases in which imaging (CT, x-rays) findings are consistent osteosarcoma but attempts at biopsy have yielded non-diagnostic results may be entered on a case-by-case basis if osteosarcoma is highly suspected 
  • Dog owners must be willing to allow their dog to undergo surgical amputation of the affected leg
  • Dog owners must be willing to bring their dogs back to Purdue for scheduled recheck examinations for up to 1 year following amputation surgery
  • Dogs must be considered healthy and fit enough to undergo general anesthesia and amputation, as determined by veterinarians at Purdue
  • No evidence of cancer spread seen on baseline imaging tests done at Purdue (such as X-rays, ultrasound scans, or CT scans)
  • Dogs can be enrolled in the trial if they have previously been treated with medications for pain, including NSAIDs (e.g. Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Previcox, Metacam)

Exclusion Criteria

  • Significant comorbid disease that precludes safe anesthesia and/or surgical amputation
    • Includes, but is not limited to, congestive heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms requiring medication, clinical bleeding disorders, liver failure, or kidney failure)
  • Dogs must not have received  prior treatment for osteosarcoma, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, investigational therapies, or bisphosphonate drugs (e.g., zoledronate pamidronate)

Financial Support

A hospital credit in the amount of $1,000 is provided to the owners of all dogs participating in the study. This credit may be used to defray other expenses associated with osteosarcoma treatment, including cancer staging, surgery, and chemotherapy.

Trial Status

Actively Recruiting

Questions

Call Dr. Michael Childress at 765-494-1107 or the Clinical Trial Nurses, Lindsey Fourez or Araynna Holland, at 765-494-1130 or 765-496-5966. Please leave a message for call back.