Canine Lymphoma

What Can be Done About Canine Lymphoma? This is a common cancer in all dogs, and fortunately is very treatable. About 50% of dogs with lymphoma can be put into remission. Most lymphomas respond very well to modern therapy, by using a combination of chemotherapy (sometimes radiation, although not very often) and immunomodulation therapy. In dogs which are otherwise healthy this type of cancer has one of the highest remission rates of any canine cancer. Lets look at what canine lymphoma is and the different treatment options available today.

What is Lymphoma?
The lymph system is the body's "other" circulatory system, circulating white blood cells and most importantly, lymphocytes. These are specialized cells involved in immune function found throughout the body. In normal healthy dogs, these cells are manufactured in the bone marrow, go through a life span of around 30 days, and then die off and are re-absorbed into the body or eliminated through the waste channels.

In Lymphoma, the regulation of production is lost and these cells proliferate in large number, or they lose their programmed life cycle and continue to live on, overwhelming the other blood cells. High white blood cell count and swollen lymph glands are the characteristic signs of this disease, followed by lethargy, loss of appetite and leading eventually to death unless treated.

Canine Lymphoma is usually treated with a special chemotherapy called the Madison Wisconsin Protocol

Lymphoma is a very serious and all-to-common disease in dogs. Some breeds are more prone to this type of cancer than others. Golden Retrievers seem to be especially susceptible to this type of canine cancer. Cancer is first and foremost an immune dysfunction disease. Lymphoma form when the body fails to recognize the altered lymph cells as invaders. These are the cells that have multiplied improperly. In the last few years specialized compounds have become available for use in cancer patients to try and correct this error.

These are called immune modulators. These immune modulator compounds often trigger the patient's "immune recognition response" allowing the body to recognize and destroy the aberrant cells. When this recognition response is triggered, the body re-learns how to deal with the tumour cells as it would with any other wound, and destroys those aberrant cells, producing healthy scar tissue in their place. These immune modulators are different than the class of drugs called Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs are toxic, and work by destroying the cancer cells directly. Chemotherapy drugs are very useful in combating canine lymphoma cancer, in that they reduce the number of cancer cells present, but they do not address the underlying cause that allowed the cancer in the first place. Immune modulator compounds on the other hand are not toxic. They are a class of compounds called heteropolysaccharides, which are naturally occurring in our foods and are required in all mammals for triggering normal immune function. For some reason, in cancer patients large amounts of these immune modulators are required to trigger that normal rejection response, which in turn kills off the cancer cells.

Canine Lymphoma Responds Very Well to Combination Therapy Using Chemotherapy and Immune Modulators

There are many sites detailing the reasons why canine lymph cancer forms, and different technical information about lymphomas. These links can be found at the bottom of this page for those who wish to go into greater detail on the technical aspects. But for our purpose on this page, let's look at what can be done to treat your dog and overcome this terrible disease.

Chemotherapy is the first line treatment for dog lymphoma. This is a type of cancer that usually effects young to middle aged dogs that are usually healthy in other respects. This means they are often good candidates for aggressive chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is usually a good option, depending on how extensive the cancer, whether it has spread and whether any major organs are involved. Sometimes the effected lymph glands are surgically removed, but this is of questionable value. After surgery, some type of chemotherapy drug is usually recommended to clean up any remaining cancer cell not removed by the surgery. Chemotherapy and surgery are both effective in removing the bulk of the tumours, but should always be seen as only one arm of a multi-pronged approach. This is because we all know that surgery and chemotherapy do not cure cancer. The underlying cause of the cancer is still there , which is the immune dysfunction that allowed the tumour to form in the first place. Chemo and surgery do not deal with this underlying immune dysfunction. However, when chemo and surgery are used along with immune modulation therapy, the chances of a dog overcoming lymphoma and surviving a normal life span are excellent. Ultimately, it is only the patient's own immune system which can overcome the cancer. Until and unless the immune recognition response is triggered, the patient cannot overcome the cancer. That is why many Vets will tell you that the dog's life can only be extended, but that the cancer is still present. While this was certainly true in the past, modern research into immune modulation therapy as an adjunct to conventional therapy has proven this to be no longer true.

Diet is of Vital Importance!
Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs. It is thought by many experts that diet is the main reason for this. We feed our dogs a diet that is based mostly around grain, even though none of the dog family feeds on grains in the wild. Not the wolves, or coyotes, or dingoes, or hyenas, none of them. Dogs have not evolved the necessary enzymes to digest or utilize grain in their diet. They are primarily carnivores. When you feed a carnivore a diet based on grain, they will develop various immune dysfunctions, including cancer. If it is the diet that causes cancer in the first place, it seems pretty obvious that diet is an important part in treating a dog with cancer. In fact, diet is one of the most important factors in a successful treatment of mast cell tumours! To give the dog the best possible chance of overcoming this challenge, the proper nutrients must be fed. Don't make the mistake of thinking just because a dog food is expensive, or because it is recommended by the vet or has a fancy name that it is necessarily the best food for your cancer patient.