Scientists at the Bauer Research Foundation in Vero Beach, Fla., are evaluating whether a vitamin B12-based drug called nitrosylcobalamin (NO-Cbl) can be used to treat several types of feline cancer.
Researchers are testing a theory that NO-Cbl can travel to B12 receptors on the cancer cells and destroy them from within, leaving healthy cells unharmed.
Cancer affects 4 million cats annually in the U.S., accounting for nearly a third of disease-related feline deaths, says the Winn Feline Foundation, which supports the research. A similar study, funded by the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, evaluated the potential use of NO-Cbl against various canine tumors.
The FDA has approved only two drugs for treating cancer in animals and they are both for dogs. Symptoms of cancer can include lumps, swelling, diarrhea or vomiting, weight loss, bad breath, sudden lameness, and listlessness. ❖
