New therapeutic perspective for bladder cancer in dogs : toxicological and clinical effects of oncotherad nanostructured immunotherapy

Abstract

Bladder cancer (BC) comprehends around 2% of all spontaneously occurring cancers in dogs. BC treatment remains a challenge since recurrence and progression of the disease, as well as the pronounced side effects associated to the available therapeutic modalities are present. In this scenario, a new perspective is represented by OncoTherad nanostructured immunomodulator. Thus, the aims of this study were to characterize and to evaluate the efficacy and possible toxicological effects of OncoTherad intravesical immunotherapy in 6 dogs with BC. Our results demonstrated that before the first instillation of OncoTherad, all dogs presented irregular tumor mass, mixed echogenicity, and hyperechoic echotexture, with a mean tumor volume of 9.38 cm3. After 6 instillations of OncoTherad, the tumor mass reduced 62.34% of its volume in relation to the initial ultrasound. At the end of 24 instillations, the tumor mass reduced 84.54% of its volume. Hematuria was decreased throughout OncoTherad treatment, disappearing on average after the eighteenth application and not returning after the last application. OncoTherad treatment showed no signs of systemic toxicity at the proposed therapeutic dose. In conclusion, OncoTherad intravesical immunotherapy seems a safe and effective treatment option for spontaneous canine bladder cancer and may provide benefit for preventing tumor recurrence