Treatments for Dogs with Liver Cancer

Liver cancer is relatively rare in dogs, accounting for less than 1.5% of all tumors. The most common type of primary liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which accounts for about 50% of malignant liver tumors in dogs. This type of cancer typically grows slowly, and when diagnosed early, it offers a better prognosis as surgical removal may be possible. 

Tumors that are localized to one lobe of the liver (known as “massive tumors”) are often operable, and dogs can live several years post-surgery. Unfortunately, other forms, such as nodular or diffuse liver cancer, are more challenging to treat and often carry a poorer prognosis. 

Surgery and chemotherapy are the most common treatments, but some newer immunotherapy and targeted therapy options are starting to emerge. This article will explore those options. 

 #livercancer

Ghandi was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2021

Immunocidin

A drug that stimulates the immune system with active ingredients consisting of non-pathogenic bacterial cell wall fraction and nucleic acid.  See this article for more information on Immunocidin.   

Location: 

Anywhere in North America

Data:

Non specifically for liver cancer but Novavive may be able to share use cases. 

Contact:

(613) 308-9788 or info@NovaVive.ca

Anything else? 

Immunocidin is fully approved by the USDA for treating mammary tumors. But bacterial therapy also has the potential to help dogs with different types of cancer including liver cancer. Several successful case studies have been reported, including one 13-year-old, female dog with a neuroendocrine tumor of the liver that lived almost 2 years after diagnosis while using Immunocidin therapy, after being given only weeks to live. 

Contact Novavive and speak with Dr. Miriam Cervantes to learn about their experience with liver cancer or to learn more about this case study specifically. 

More information: 

https://www.novavive.ca/canine-research

Also a summary of Immunocidin within the context of bacterial therapies which can be read here.

Autologous Vaccines

Autologous vaccines (Torigen vaccine or Ardent K9-AVC vaccine) are vaccines created from the dog’s own tumor cells to stimulate and train the immune system to attack cancer cells.

Be sure to contact the company to arrange for tumor sample collection and shipment BEFORE surgery.

Data: 

None for liver cancer, but some for other cancer types

Location:

Anywhere in the US. Make sure to contact either company before surgery.

More information:

https://www.torigen.com/, 

https://ardentanimalhealth.com/canine-cancer/

Combination Radiation and Immunotherapy for Metastatic Cancer Clinical Trial

The team at the University of Wisconsin is developing a new approach to the treatment of cancer that has spread beyond the primary tumor (metastatic cancer). This trial involves 3 ways to stimulate a patient’s own immune system to fight their cancer 1) “Immune checkpoint inhibition” (ICI), 2) “in situ vaccination” (ISV), and 3) low-dose radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT). The trial is open to all metastatic tumor types.

Location: 

University of Wisconsin Madison School of Veterinary Care

More information: 

https://veterinaryclinicaltrials.org/study/VCT24005789

Electrical Pulse Therapy Clinical Trial

North Carolina State University is now enrolling canine patients that have a liver tumor into a clinical trial that is using a new therapy called INSPIRE (Integrated time nanosecond pulse irreversible electroporation). INSPIRE is a novel tumor ablation modality that employs high voltage, alternating polarity waveforms to induce cell death in a well-defined volume while sparing the underlying tissue which uses electrical pulses to safely destroy the cells within a tumor.

The added benefit is that tumor ablation may induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) which stimulates the immune system to attack cancer cells.  

Location:

North Carolina State University 

Data:

Early data in horses with spontaneous melanoma. Treatments administered at the lowest voltage (1000 V) reduced tumor volumes by 11 to 15%. Higher voltage (2000 V) treatments reduced tumor volumes by 84 to 88% and eliminated 33% and 80% of tumors when 500 ns and 2000 ns pulses were administered, respectively.

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1232650/full

More information:

https://veterinaryclinicaltrials.org/study/VCT24005833

High-Dose Stereotactic Radiation Therapy Clinical Trial

Michigan State University Veterinary Medical Center is enrolling dogs with non-surgical Hepatocellular Carcinoma to participate in a clinical trial for high-dose stereotactic radiation therapy. Stereotactic radiation delivers highly focused, precise doses of radiation to tumors with minimal impact on surrounding healthy tissues. Stereotactic radiation may also have immune-stimulating effects, as the therapy can destroy tumor cells and release antigens into the bloodstream for the immune system to pick up and start attacking. 

Location:

Michigan State University

Sorafenib

Sorafenib is a type of targeted therapy called a multikinase inhibitor, that focuses on stopping cancer growth at the molecular level. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, which can damage both healthy and cancerous cells, sorafenib works by targeting specific proteins that help cancer cells grow and form blood vessels. It blocks signals from proteins like VEGFR and RAF kinase, which are important for the survival of cancer cells and their ability to create new blood vessels.

Location: 

Anywhere in North America

Data:

Study in 13 dogs published in 2020. Seven dogs received sorafenib, and six were treated with metronomic chemotherapy. Median time to progression was 363 days in dogs treated with sorafenib versus 27 days in dogs treated with chemotherapy. Median overall survival was 361 days in dogs receiving sorafenib, while 32 days in those receiving chemotherapy. 

More information:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32443457/

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Check out other articles and videos

• Curing Hemangiosarcoma: New Calviri Vaccine Study for Canine Patients

• New Hope for Cures: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (including Gilvetmab)

• New Canine Cancer Screening Tests

Questions? Email us at info@ccralliance, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!

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All information on the Canine Cancer Alliance website is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary advice.

Always seek guidance from your veterinarian with any questions regarding your pet’s health and medical condition.