Table 1.

Chemotherapy protocols used for the treatment of cats with lymphoma at The Ohio State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Induction of remission

COAP protocol (Use for 6–10 weeks, then use LMP)

cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan©) 200–300 mg/m2, PO, every 3 weeks

vincristine (Oncovin©) 0.5 mg/m2BSA, IV, once a week

cytosine arabinoside (Cytosar-U©) 100 mg/m2BSA/day, IV drip or SQ, for 2 days

(Note: cytosine arabinoside may cause pain or discomfort upon subcutaneous injection in cats)

prednisone 50 mg/m2BSA, PO, sid for a week; then 20 mg/m2BSA PO, every other day

Intensification

doxorubicin (Adriamycin©) 25 mg/m2, IV, every 3 weeks or

mitoxantrone (Novantrone©) 4–6 mg/m2, IV, every 3 weeks

Maintenance (Use until relapse occurs; then go to ‘rescue’) LMP protocol

chlorambucil (Leukeran©) 20 mg/m2BSA, PO, every other week

methotrexate (Methotrexate©) 2.5 mg/m2BSA, PO, 2–3 times per week

prednisone 20 mg/m2, PO, every other day

COAP protocol

use as above every other week for six treatments, then every third week for additional six treatments, and try to maintain the patient on one treatment every 4th week.

Maintenance therapy is continued until the tumour relapses

Rescue

MiC protocol (21 day cycle)

mitoxantrone (Novantrone©) 4–6 mg/m2, IV drip over 4–6 h on day 1

cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan©) 200–300 mg/m2, PO, day 15 or 16

AC protocol (21 day cycle)

doxorubicin (Adriamycin©) 25 mg/m2, IV, on day 1

cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan©) 200–300 mg/m2, PO, day 15 or 16

MiCA protocol (21 day cycle)

mitoxantrone (Novantrone©) 4–5 mg/m2, IV drip over 4–6 h on day 1

cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan©) 200–300 mg/m2, PO, day 15 or 16

cytosine arabinoside (Cytosar-u©) 200 mg/m2, IV drip over 4–6 h

(Mixed in the same bag with mitoxantrone) on day 1

CHOP protocol (21 day cycle)

cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan©) 200–300 mg/m2, IV, on day 10

doxorubicin (Adriamycin©) 20–25 mg/m2, IV, on day 1

vincristine (Oncovin©) 0.5 mg/m2, IV, on days 8 and 15

prednisone 20–25 mg/m2, PO, every other day