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Hemangiosarcoma Project
Research, Treatment Options, and New Hope
Hemangiosarcoma is one of the most aggressive cancers in dogs.
While conventional treatments often have limited effectiveness, new immunotherapy and research approaches are offering hope.
Register for the Hemangiosarcoma Webinar
In this webinar, we’ll break down what we know today, what’s changing,
and what’s on the horizon.
March 24, 11:00 AM PT | 22:00 PM ET
What is Hemangiosarcoma
Hemangiosarcoma is a cancer that develops from cells lining blood vessels. It most commonly occurs in spleen, heart, liver and skin. Because these tumors grow within blood vessels, they can rupture suddenly, causing internal bleeding. Many dogs are diagnosed only after a sudden collapse.
Limit of Current Treatments
The most common treatments today include:
Splenectomy (surgery) followed by Chemotherapy with doxorubicin
These treatments may extend life for some dogs, but they often do not stop the cancer from spreading.
Typical outcomes reported in veterinary oncology studies:
surgery alone: 1–3 months median survival
surgery + chemotherapy: 4–6 months median survival
Because hemangiosarcoma spreads early through the bloodstream, researchers believe new approaches are needed.
Hemangiosarcoma Quick Facts
Most common tumor site: spleen
Cancer of blood vessel cells
Common in Golden Retrievers and large breeds
Median survival with standard treatment: 4–6 months
Major research focus: immunotherapy and metastasis prevention
New Research Directions
Scientists are exploring several promising strategies including immunotherapy, targeted therapies, anti-angiogenic drugs and combination therapies.
These approaches aim to:
• activate the immune system
• slow metastasis
• disrupt tumor blood vessel growth
Some experimental therapies are already being studied in clinical trials for canine patients.
A New Frontier for Hemangiosarcoma
Immunotherapy works by helping the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells.
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Researchers are studying several strategies, including: cancer therapeutic vaccines, such as
EGFR/HER2 canine cancer vaccine, innate immune-activating therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and intratumoral immunotherapy.
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Early research suggests that some dogs treated with immunotherapy may experience longer survival than expected with conventional treatments alone.
Median Survival
Stage I with EGFR/HER2 Therapy = 236 days (n=19)​
​Stage I without EGFR/HER2 Therapy = 89 days (n=6)​
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Stage II with EGFR/HER2 Therapy = 215 days (n=29)
Stage II without EGFR/HER2 Therapy = 119 days (n=23)
Meet Betty Boop: A Hemangiosarcoma Survivor
Nearly three years ago, Betty Boop’s family received devastating news.
In April 2023, she was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, a cancer known for spreading quickly and silently. Many families facing this diagnosis are told there may be only a few months left.
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Betty Boop’s journey, however, has been different.
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Rather than undergoing chemotherapy, she received an immunotherapy treatment, giving her body another way to fight the disease. She also received a widely available safe prescription drug that may help dogs with hemangiosarcoma survive longer.
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Today, nearly three years after her diagnosis, Betty Boop continues to enjoy life with her family.
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Her story is a reminder that every dog’s cancer journey is unique and that continued research and new therapies may help more dogs beat the odds.
Stories and Articles
