Comparison of intratumoral administration of cisplatin versus bleomycin for treatment of periocular squamous cell carcinomas in horses.

This research article compares the effectiveness of the drugs cisplatin and bleomycin in treating squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, in horses’ eyelids. The study found that both drugs were effective, but cisplatin had a higher success rate and, considering the cost as well, was determined to be the better option for this kind of treatment.

Research Methods

• The study involved 25 horses with T2-stage periocular squamous cell carcinomas. This is a moderate stage of cancer, relevant for studying the treatment’s effectiveness.
• The study was conducted with a two-stage design to minimize the number of horses needed for each phase of the experiment.
• The horses were treated four times, each time two weeks apart, with either a slow-release formula of cisplatin or bleomycin.
• The amount of drug used was determined by the volume of the tumor, with 1mg/cm3 of tissue for cisplatin, and 1 IU/cm3 of tissue for bleomycin.

Results

• The success rate of the treatment, measured by local control of the cancer at the one year mark, was 93% for cisplatin and 78% for bleomycin. These figures indicate that both drugs had a substantial effects on controlling the cancer.
• The study also identified a correlation between the tumor’s proliferative fraction index value (a measurement of how aggressively the cancer cells are dividing) and both the success of local control and the risk of recurrence. Specifically, tumors with a low proliferative fraction index value were more likely to recur.
• The side effects of the treatment, both acute and chronic, were similar for both drug groups, with chronic reactions being notably absent.

Conclusions

• Both drugs were found to be effective in treating eyelid squamous cell carcinoma in horses, demonstrating the potential clinical applicability of intratumoral chemotherapy for this condition.
• However, considering the balance of cost and benefit, cisplatin emerged as the preferred choice for intratumoral chemotherapy of eyelid carcinomas. It should be noted that the financial aspect was a factor in these conclusions, not just the medical outcomes.