Lymphoma accounts for 30% of all forms of neoplasia in cats. Most feline lymphoma cases are characterized as medium to high grade, and multi-agent chemotherapeutic protocols constitute the mainstay of treatment. Response rates for the most commonly utilized chemotherapeutic protocols for medium- to high-grade feline lymphoma (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone {COP}, +/- doxorubicin {CHOP}) vary between 38 and 96%, but reinduction of durable remission following relapse remains a challenging clinical syndrome to manage.
A recent multi-center retrospective study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the mustargen, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisolone (MOPP) chemotherapeutic protocol for the treatment of relapsed or refractory feline lymphoma. Of the 37 subjects in this cohort, 26 achieved remission (approximately 70%), with a median duration of remission after MOPP rescue of 166 days. The most common side effects included gastrointestinal upset and neutropenia, which were reported in approximately 18% of cats. No adverse effects were reported in approximately 55% of cases.
“The results of this study suggest that the MOPP protocol is safe in cats, and that it shows promise as a therapeutic alternative for relapsed or refractory feline lymphoma,” says Bruce Kornreich, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, Director of the Feline Health Center.n
