The Sumner Foundation

The Website has been moved, now it's your turn

2008-09-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, the website has now been moved, there is only a front
page there but I made it a priority to get the wiki page up too. If
you go to http://thesumnerfoundation.org and click on Information, it
will take you there.

For those not familiar with what a Wiki Style page is, this page lets
anyone come in and add useful information, edit information that is
already there, update information, create pages, etc. I know this
group is filled with amazing people who have so much information to
share with others regarding Hemangiosarcoma, and I hope that some of
you will take the time to go and add whatever information you have,
that might help others, to the Wiki page. Feel free to create a new
page, or add to a page that you have information about, if someone
has already created it. I am new to doing this too, so hopefully we
will all learn together.

Meanwhile, my husband and I end our jobs on Friday and after that it
will be packing and traveling down to Florida to find someplace to
rent while we get re-established down there. I fully plan on keeping
my laptop with me as much as possible and keeping an eye on the group
as much as I can. If anyone is willing to help out with assisting in
moderating, please let me know. It really just entails watching for
new members who post, and if their post is ligit and not spam, then
approving the message and changing their status to unmoderated. Due
to the nature of this cancer, I don't like to leave anyone hanging in
the wings too long. So any help for the next month or two would be
greatly appreciated. If anyone is so inclined or able, please email
me privately. Thanks!

Thanks everyone and hugs to all humans, furkids and angels at the
bridge.

Valerie
Sumner and Micky at the bridge

A Wonderfully Informative Blog

2008-08-08T04:34:00.000-07:00

For general Canine Cancer information:

http://www.dogcancerblog.com/

Loving Ginger

2008-08-07T10:27:00.001-07:00

I remember a saying that goes, "Love wasn't put in your heart to stay. Love isn't love 'til you give it away."
Little did we know that when Ginger came into my life she would change it forever. It wasn't just that Ginger needed walks, rain or shine, and that she needed to be watched, feed, trained and all the rest that goes along with having a new puppy in the house. How many of us think that we have something to teach our pets? Well, Ginger was MY teacher.

Though the journey was short while she was with me, just 14 years... a long time by some standards... the journey continues today. What did Ginger teach me? I'll just mention a few things here.

* How to take care of myself and my family. I had to learn a lot about health care and diet when Ginger became an insulin dependent diabetic. Her health needs required that we seek alternatives since what the vets recommended didn't work. We incorporated those alternatives into our own life style. With a history of cancer in our family, little did I know how important this education would become.

* How to move ahead with faith regardless of the odds. When Ginger was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma the news was very bad. After her spleen was removed we could only expect a couple of weeks, or maybe as much as 2 months more with Ginger. Our firm belief that the vets were wrong stood firm and we had our Ginger for another 16 months without cancer and without chemo.

* How to open my heart to Ginger. This may seem like the easiest on the list. It was actually the hardest for me. As tightly connected as Ginger and I became, emotions for her ran high. Emotions also block the connection we have that is heart to heart. Because of Ginger I became a Reiki Master and an animal communicator. If I can remember my lessons from Ginger, the love for her won't stay in my heart... I'll give it away to every person and animal I meet as I share her story.
Blessings,
Rosemary Levesque
Portland, OR

Hemangiosarcoma Awareness Month

2008-07-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

I wanted to alert everyone that in honor of HSA awareness month (August) I will be dedicating my half hour radio show to promoting awareness of HSA, sharing information and hopefully getting some more knowledge out there. It is a call in show, so I encourage any of you who are inclined to call in, share your stories, your knowledge, your experiences...and I think this is another way of reaching more people. The first show is at 6:30 pm but I've scheduled the others for 9:30pm (all eastern time) so that hopefully more people will be listening. I've only scheduled up til 8/21 because you can only schedule a month ahead but I will add the show for the last week of August next week. If anyone has any literature or good sites that I can mention on the air, please share them and I will be happy to announce them or read from the literature. Any suggestions and ideas are welcome!

Here is the URL for the radio show.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Soulfully-Blonde

HSA Showcase-Dylan

2008-07-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

By Marty, about my Dylan who died on June 17, 2008.

TEN THINGS I MISS ABOUT DYLAN

1. The morning kiss he demanded first thing after we got up.

2. His bark when I put my key in the door or opened the back door when
he was outside. He was announcing "I'm here!"

3. His goofy grin when he rolled over on his back for me to
scritch his belly.

4. The way he chased his ball with abandon, going full tilt after it,
but never bringing it back. He looked at me like "I'm a chaser, not a
retriever!"

5. How much he loved the ocean. He adored running in the surf, often
with all four feet off the ground. He loved to go in far enough that
the waves would wash over his back so that he'd be completely soaked.
He's stand there with his goofy smile loving the feeling of the water
rushing over him.

6. The silly flips and bouncing he did all the time. He did
everything with much gusto and enthusiasm. Coming up the three steps
from outside into the house, he impatiently jumped up and down them
doing flips. He was always excited to go in, day after day.
Likewise, while I was preparing his food, he bounced straight up and
down high in the air barking like this meal, tiny as it was, was the
most wonderful thing in the world!

7. The way he walked right next to me on walks only leaving my side to
chase his ball or jump in the creek in the park where we liked to
walk. I never needed a leash with Dylan as he didn't want me out of
his sight. I always had to walk him back to treatment rooms at the
Vet as he didn't want to go without me.

8. How much he loved to meet people. He was the first to greet anyone
who came in our house and had to give them a kiss and stay right with
them until they left. He was a wonderful host.

9. When around other dogs, he liked meeting them, but he always had a
macho attitude that put off some dogs. He was always ready to herd
them and chase them and could keep up with the fastest of them with
his agility and quick spurts of speed. He didn't like when dogs rough
housed and growled, though, as he was the 'fun police' and would race
around them, nipping them to get them in line. It was funny to watch.

10. I miss most seeing that sweet, happy dog when I come home. I
called him the most annoying dog in the world, but I figured out a
long time ago that those annoying habits were endearing. He was a
resource guarder with the old cats. He wanted to make sure they
didn't steal his chewies. He jumped around hysterically in the car
when he knew we were getting to one of his favorites places… home or
the park. How he barked with his ear splitting bark while I was
preparing his food and until I put it down for him to eat. How,
despite being neutered by six months, he had to mark everything,
including hundreds of horseshoe crabs on the beach… that was a major
task. How where he pooped was the most important thing in the world
and the length of time it took for him to find that perfect spot. How
he pushed Dixie out of the way and almost ran over her to get to me.
Now I'm beginning to think of all these things and smile. Boy, do I
miss that dog.

The Functions of the Spleen

2008-01-31T10:26:00.001-08:00

Thanks again to Ilene, who is a wealth of information!

this site explains the functions of the spleen:
http://www.marvista vet.com/html/ body_splenic_ masses.html

Chemotherapy Information

2008-01-30T08:44:00.000-08:00

Websites with Chemotherapy Information, thanks to Ilene!

http://www.southpaws.com/news/Newsletter-Fall%202001/page8.html

http://www.dogaware.com/specific.%20html#cancer

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/hemangiosarcoma-in-dogs/page1.aspx

http://www.blogger.com/hemangiosarcoma-in-dogs/page1.aspx

http://cancer.landofpuregold.com/chemo.htm

http://cancer.landofpuregold.com/supplements.htm

http://www.smilingblueskies.com/index.html

http://www.zzcat.com/TumorTidbits.htm

Various Forms of Hemangiosarcoma

2008-01-29T12:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Ilene for these websites!

Here are some websites that explain more about the various forms of HSA:

http://caninecancerawareness.org/html/CanineCancerHemangiosarcoma.html
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_hemangiosarcoma.html
http://www.petplace.com/dogs/hemangiosarcoma-in-dogs/page1.aspx

New HSA Low-dose Oral Chemo Protocol

2007-11-14T04:41:00.000-08:00

"This is huge and very exciting! CSU did a study where they compared
the effectiveness of a low-dose oral chemo protocol to that of the
traditional doxorubicin and the results were quite favorable. This
would offer another option for dogs that cannot tolerate doxorubicin,
get stressed out by IVs, etc. It might even be less expensive?"

See the PubMed abstract below for more information:

Continuous low-dose oral chemotherapy for adjuvant therapy of
splenic hemangiosarcoma in dogs.
Lana S, U'ren L, Plaza S, Elmslie R, Gustafson D, Morley P, Dow S.

Animal Cancer Center, Department of Clinical Sciences , Colorado
State University, Ft. Collins, 80523, USA.

BACKGROUND: Hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is a highly metastatic and
often rapidly fatal tumor in dogs. At present, conventional adjuvant
chemotherapy provides only a modest survival benefit for treated
dogs. Continuous oral administration of low-dose chemotherapy (LDC)
has been suggested as an alternative to conventional chemotherapy
protocols. Therefore, we evaluated the safety and effectiveness of
LDC using a combination of cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and piroxicam
as adjuvant therapy for dogs with stage II HSA. HYPOTHESIS: We
hypothesized that oral adjuvant therapy with LDC could be safely
administered to dogs with HSA and that survival times would be
comparable to those attained with conventional doxorubicin (DOX)
chemotherapy. ANIMALS: Nine dogs with stage II splenic HSA were
enrolled in the LDC study. Treatment outcomes were also evaluated
retrospectively for 24 dogs with stage II splenic HSA treated with
DOX chemotherapy. METHODS: Nine dogs with stage II splenic HSA were
treated with LDC over a 6-month period. Adverse effects and treatment
outcomes were determined. The pharmacokinetics of orally administered
etoposide were determined in 3 dogs. Overall survival times and
disease-free intervals were compared between the 9 LDC-treated dogs
and 24 DOX-treated dogs. RESULTS: Dogs treated with LDC did not
develop severe adverse effects, and long-term treatment over 6 months
was well-tolerated. Oral administration of etoposide resulted in
detectable plasma concentrations that peaked between 30 and 60
minutes after dosing. Both the median overall survival time and the
median disease-free interval in dogs treated with LDC were 178 days.
By comparison, the overall survival time and disease-free interval in
dogs treated with DOX were 133 and 126 days, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Continuous orally administered LDC may be an effective
alternative to conventional high-dose chemotherapy for adjuvant
therapy of dogs with HSA.

J Vet Intern Med. 2007 Jul-Aug;21(4) :764-9.L

http://www.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/ sites/entrez? Db=pubmed& Cmd=ShowDetailVi ew&TermToSearch= 17708397& ordinalpos= 1&itool=EntrezSy stem2.PEntrez. Pubmed.Pubmed_ ResultsPanel. Pubmed_RVDocSum ew&TermToSearch= 17708397& ordinalpos= 1&itool=EntrezSy stem2.PEntrez. Pubmed.Pubmed_ ResultsPanel. Pubmed_RVDocSum

AVMA's 10 Warning Signs of Canine Cancer

2007-04-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Ilene P on The Sumner Foundation Yahoo Group for this information.

Sadly many of us only learned of HSA after our otherwise healthy dogs collapsed due to a rupture or bleed. With HSA, signs of bleeding might include pallor of gums and tongue and sudden lethargy. Other signs of Canine Cancer:

AVMA's 10 Warning Signs of Canine Cancer
1 Abnormal swellings that persist or continue to grow
2 Sores that do not heal
3 Weight loss
4 Loss of appetite
5 Bleeding or discharge from any body opening
6 Offensive odor
7 Difficulty eating or swallowing
8 Hesitation to exercise or loss of stamina
9 Persistent lameness or stiffness
10 Difficulty breathing, urinating, or defecating

Other HSA info can be found here:
http://caninecancer awareness. org/html/ CanineCancerHema ngiosarcoma. html

Even if we were to get our dogs scanned monthly, we may not still be able to detect something internally early enough. There is much more to research to find the cause and the cure. But there is more promise and hope with advancements in Veterinary Oncology, although treatment does come at a price. The best medicine can be keeping a positive attitude, as our dogs feed off our emotions.
H.O.P.E. hold onto positive energy!

A Holistic Diet

2007-02-07T19:39:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Sandra N for this diet she shared. I will eventually have this posted on the main website but wanted to share it here at least for now.

From Sandra N:

When Jasper was first diagnosed in August, I did a lot of research on HCS. My husand and I decided against chemo and started taking her to a holistic vet. Jasper is on a homemade/organic diet and several supplements.

I'm going to attach her diet and supplements. The first two supplements Jasper was taking before we found out about the cancer. The lubri-ease is for arthritis and the canine bladder control is for well.......you know. She started peeing in her sleep. It stopped as soon as I put her on the supplement. Let me know if you have any questions.

Supplements
	AM	PM
Lubri-Ease (Only Natural Pet)	1 tablet	1 tablet
Canine Bladder Control (ONP)	1 tablet	1 tablet
Antiox (ONP)	1 tablet	1 tablet
3V Caps	2 capsules	2 capsules
Canine Plus Sr. (ONP)	1 tablet	1 tablet
Vitamin C	Â½ tablet	Â½ tablet
Alfalfa	1 tablet	1 tablet
Vitamin B complex	Â½ tablet	Â½ tablet
Selenium	Â¼ tablet	Â¼ tablet
Garlic	1 tablet	1 tablet
Calcium (Bone Meal)	Â½ tsp	Â½ tsp
Stasis Breaker (holistic vet)	1 tsp	1 tsp
Wei Qi Booster (holistic vet)	1 tsp	1 tsp

Diet
	AM	PM	Dessert
Home cooked meal	4 oz of chicken, liver or beef; Â½ hard boiled egg; 1 TBSP sardines in tomato sauce; 1 cup of organic vegetables (spinach, kale, celery, broccoli, zucchini, or yellow squash or Â½ cup carrots); 1/3 cup organic brown rice, oatmeal or barley or Â¼ cup kidney beans; 1 TBSP organic extra virgin olive oil	4 oz of chicken, liver or beef; Â½ hard boiled egg; 1 TBSP sardines in tomato sauce; 1 cup of organic vegetables (spinach, kale, celery, broccoli, zucchini, or yellow squash or Â½ cup carrots); 1/3 cup organic brown rice, oatmeal or barley or Â¼ cup kidney beans; 1 TBSP organic extra virgin olive oil	6 oz organic yogurt and Â½ cup of organic berries (strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries)
Hillsâ€™s ND Cancer Food	1 can 1 TBSP organic extra virgin olive oil	1 can 1 TBSP organic extra virgin olive oil	6 oz organic yogurt and Â½ cup of organic berries (strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries)

Hemangiosarcoma Lists

2006-10-19T04:59:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Ellen who compiled this list for us!

Hemangiosarcoma

Location where it finally manifested itself (it is said to originate in the endothelium, which is the lining of the blood vessels and spleen

1. spleen

2. abdomen

3. liver

4. lungs

5. heart

6. shoulder

Previously unexplained or suspicious symptoms:

1. occasional severe pain (enough to cause yelping or moaning) in abdomen, sometimes accompanied by vomiting

2. large tumor on spleen, fluid/blood on abdomen

3. seems to be in pain

4. occasional or sudden lethargy or sluggishness

5. occasional lack of appetite

6. sudden collapse

7. white gums

8. just doesn’t look right

9. distended belly

10. loss of interest in treats

11. trouble breathing, with tongue hanging out

12. walk a few steps and collapse; walk a few more steps and collapse

13. sudden weakness

14. stress habits, e.g., licking rugs, floors, the ground, the car floor, rough stuff

15. hacking, dry cough, gagging

16. slow, heavy panting when not exerted and not hot

17. bloody stools

18. convulsions

19. diarrhea

20. a few little black dots on belly quickly became blood-filled bumps

Courses of action owners have taken:

1. splenectomy or other surgery to remove tumor(s)

2. early diagnosis

3. organic dog food

4. raw food diet

5. high-quality food

6. homeopathic treatments

7. chemotherapy

8. vitamin K (to control blood clotting and to prevent postoperative bleeding and internal hemorrhaging)

9. a liver support formula with milk thistle (an herb that promotes healthy liver function)

10. a dog enzyme supplement with trypsin (an enzyme that is thought to help dissolve tumors, which are made up of protein)

11. garlic to prevent fleas and ticks (but be aware that onions are not good for dogs and that garlic is a member of the same allium family)

12. no grains

13. extra veggies high in antioxidants (broccoli, kale, etc.)

14. raw garlic (being part of the onion family, which is not good for dogs, this may be questionable)

15. esiak

16. flax seed oil

17. fish oil

18. co-enzyme Q10

19. Vitamin C

20. multivitamin

21. selenium

22. grape seed extract

23. only the legally required immunizations

24. bronchodilator

25. prednisone

26. morphine

Prevention ideas:

1. ultrasounds

2. yearly chest x-rays after age 5

3. blood tests

4. regular blood screening for things they don’t normally check for, like blood clotting and platelet count

5. avoid chemicals, preservatives, and additives in food; wood with arsenic as a preservative; pesticides; herbicides; insecticides; hormone-fed animal meats; antibiotics; genetically modified foods; artificial substances; dyes; fabric softener

6. avoid the foods that most cause allergies and/or sensitivities and intolerances (which are not immune reactions like allergies but may have similar GI symptoms): wheat and gluten, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, cow’s milk, seafood, eggs

7. limit soy (although soy is thought to help prevent certain cancers, it also has negative effects on the brain, competes with natural hormones, and blocks the action of enzymes needed for protein digestion, most notably trypsin)

8. avoid letting your dog walk on, sniff, or drink environmental toxins on the ground and in puddles: fertilizers, snow-melt chemicals, petroleum products, acid rain

9. good diet

10. good supplements

11. look up “canine cancer support” on the Internet

12. read a book titled “How to keep your dog cancer free”

Current research, scientific information, and lay ideas:

1. Contact jaime.modiano@UCHSC.edu to find out how you can provide a blood or DNA sample for research.

2. www.freshpatents.com/Treatment-of-canine-hemangiosarcoma-with-a-histone-deacetylase-inhibitor-dt20060511ptan20060100286.php (this treatment is not yet available)

3. http://americanboxerclub.org/purina5.html

4. www.thensome.com/ginger/

5. “Research should be done on the anti-tumor chemical the mother tumor makes. Once the tumor is cut out, more tumors grow rapidly. If the anti-tumor chemical could be duplicated, maybe we could use it as a treatment for hemangio.”

6. “The only humans who seem to get it are those who have been exposed to Agent Orange.”

Cancer Related Links

2006-09-15T07:16:00.000-07:00

Links to Other Organizations for Cancer-Related Information
University of Colorado Cancer Center
Integrated Department of Immunology, UCHSC/NJMRC
AMC Cancer Research Center
Colorado State University Animal Cancer Center
Dr. Matthew Breen’s home page, North Carolina State University
American Cancer Society
The National Cancer Institute
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Quackwatch - Your Guide to Quackery, Health Fraud, and Intelligent Decisions
International Veterinary Information Services
The Canine Health Foundation
Kate Koogler Canine Cancer Fund
Oncolink of the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center
Morris Animal Foundation
National Canine Cancer Foundation

What is Hemangiosarcoma?

2006-09-03T05:37:00.000-07:00

Hemangiosarcomas

Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.

Hemangiosarcoma is an aggressive cancer that arises from the blood vessels. The cancer can occur anywhere in the body, but there are several locations that are more common. Early and aggressive treatment can lengthen the dog's life, but this cancer is often metastatic and complete remission is rare.

Which dogs are at risk for developing hemangiosarcomas?

Hemangiosarcomas can occur in any dog regardless of breed, age, or sex. Hemangiosarcomas are rare in the cat and human. There are several breeds of dogs that seem to be at a greater risk for hemangiosarcoma and they include German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Boxers, and English Setters.

We do not currently understand why dogs develop hemangiosarcomas. Because of the increased incidence in several breeds, a genetic link appears to be one of several likely causes. Hemangiosarcoma is rarely found in humans, so less research has been done, and the amount of information about the cause of this tumor is somewhat limited.

What are the symptoms of hemangiosarcoma?

Hemangiosarcomas can occur anywhere on or in the body, but primarily are present in the spleen, liver, heart, and skin. The skin form of hemangiosarcoma has a better prognosis and recovery rate than the internal forms. The skin form is occasionally present in cats and can sometimes be associated with sun damage on light-skinned/haired animals. The internal form is usually diagnosed by the palpation of a large mass in the abdomen or with symptoms of sudden blood loss. The sudden blood loss results from the rupture of the fragile tumor and a resulting loss of blood into the abdomen. The symptoms would include weakness or collapse and pale mucous membranes. Occasionally, dogs will have symptoms of chronic blood loss, which include pale gums, slow capillary refill time (CRT), irregular heart rate, and generalized weakness.

How is hemangiosarcoma diagnosed?

Once a tumor is suspected, abdominal and chest x-rays are often performed to determine the extent of organ involvement and whether or not metastasis is present. (Blog Author's Note: Many tumors cannot be detected with XRays, Ultrasounds are usually much mroe accurate) Hemangiosarcoma is an aggressive tumor and metastases are often present at the time of initial diagnosis. A biopsy or positive identification of a removed tumor by a veterinary pathologist is usually recommended.

What is the treatment for hemangiosarcoma?

Hemangiosarcoma is primarily treated with a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Surgical removal alone is often not very rewarding. Because of the high risk of metastasis, the average survival time without chemotherapy is one to two months, with less than 10% of the dogs living a year. With surgical removal and accompanying chemotherapy, the average survival time increases to 5 to 7 months. However, 90% of these dogs still do not survive more than a year after initial treatment. Success rates can improve depending on location and early intervention.

Skin-based hemangiosarcomas appear less likely to be metastatic when initially diagnosed and treatment is more often successful. Surgical removal of the skin-based tumors can be curative, however, chemotherapy is often recommended in addition to surgery. Because of the aggressive nature of hemangiosarcomas and the rapidly changing chemotherapy drugs, I recommend that all owners of dogs with hemangiosarcomas seek out treatment or advice from a veterinary oncologist.

Conclusion

In summary, hemangiosarcoma is a somewhat common tumor in dogs. It can be found in any dog, but has some definite breed predilections. Most of the tumors are metastatic and aggressive and have a guarded outcome. With early detection and treatment with surgery and chemotherapy, survival times and quality of life can be improved.

References and Further Reading

Chun, R. Feline and Canine Hemangiosarcoma. Compendium. July 1999.

Ettinger, S; Feldman, E. Veterinary Internal medicine. Published by W.B. Saunders Co. Philadelphia, PA; 2000.

Thamm, D. Canine Splenic Hemangiosarcoma. Veterinary Practice News. May 2000.

From Veterinary Practice News-A Cellular Revolution

2006-09-03T05:33:00.000-07:00

Some cancers may arise from damage to pluripotent stem cells

By Kevin A. Hahn, DVM, Ph.D.

There will continue to be much debate, in political and research circles, about the use and study of embryonic stem cells.

Preliminary work shows that information learned from embryonic stem cells offers hope for the treatment of people suffering from diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and spinal-cord disorders.

There is similar hope in the study of pluripotent stem cells from individuals with cancer.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, recently identified neuroendocrine signaling pathways in cancer cells.

They found that the neurotransmitter gamma amino butyric acid, or GABA, a neurotransmitter-inhibiting amino acid, is at unusually high levels in some patients with aggressive bone, lung, thyroid, bladder and prostate tumors. GABA levels appear to be an indicator of a poor prognosis.

On further examination of cancer cells that responded to GABA stimulation, these researchers observed characteristics of primitive neural progenitor cells.

This adds to growing evidence that some cancers come not from adult cells gone haywire, but from damage to pluripotent stem cells.

Since the biological behavior of these tumors is similar in animals, these results may allow us to recognize cancers in our patients before they progress to clinical symptoms or before metastasis.

This hypothesis is supported by work presented at the recent Forum of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Dr. Jaime Modiano described evidence that suggests hemangiosarcoma arises from CD34-positive stem cells from bone marrow origin.

His research shows that bone marrow-derived stem cells (hemangioblasts), under conditions of enhanced angiogenesis, transform into angioblasts then into endothelial precursor cells (EPC).

These primitive stem cells have the phenotypic properties we recognize as hemangiosarcoma. Thus, hemangiosarcoma is an incompletely differentiated bone marrow-derived stem cell disorder.

So the question is, if tumors arise from stem cells, can we exploit this knowledge in the management of the cancer patient?

The answer is yes.

For example, researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston are exploring the use of pentobarbital (Nembutal) to prevent metastasis of cancer. Pentobarbital acts like a GABA receptor agonist.

GABA acts through cell surface receptors, and GABA-receptor membrane proteins are present not only in the brain, but on colon, bladder, prostate, bone and ovarian cancer cells, as well.

Dr. Premal Thaker of Anderson showed in mice that pentobarbital reduced the onset of metastasis to 20 percent in treated mice injected with colon cancer cells, compared to the onset of metastasis in 80 percent of non-treated mice.

Obviously, further work is needed to confirm these findings in clinical patients and to learn more about the GABA receptor pathway in cancer cells.

Early detection is likely to offer the highest probability of successful treatment outcomes. Dr. Modiano’s work has shown that the frequency of hemangioblasts is significantly higher in dogs with hemangiosarcoma. His laboratory has developed a flow cytometric assay that allows for the detection of circulating hemangioblasts in dogs.

Analysis of a blood sample for hemangioblastic cells may allow for the early detection of dogs having potential risk for the development of hemangiosarcomas and allow veterinarians to monitor treatment responses. Ultimately, knowledge of the stem cell aberrations will allow for advances in treatment of deadly neoplastic disorders.

We are in the midst of a revolution in medicine as we begin to understand and exploit abnormalities in cellular metabolism; an area called metabolomics. Instead of observing radiographs or microscope slides, we are now able to examine and exploit the chemistry that underlies diseased tissues. This comes from the study of good, and bad, stem cells.

Kevin Hahn, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM (Oncology), is director of Oncology Services at Gulf Coast Veterinary Oncology, his referral practices in Houston, San Antonio and New Orleans. Additional information about managing pets with cancer may be found at his website, www.gcvs.com/oncology.

Hemangiosarcoma Information Blog

2006-08-29T06:16:00.000-07:00

This blog exists as a part of the Sumner Foundation, and is to be used for articles, updates, studies and information regarding Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs.

More to come...please bookmark this page.