Mycobacterial Cell Wall Stimulant in the Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Case Series Regarding Treatment in Equine, Bovine and Caprine Patients.
Abstract: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common dermatological neoplasia found in large animal species. Treatment options, such as surgery and cryotherapy may be difficult or not feasible. Alternative therapies, such as immunomodulating drugs, can potentially be used for companion large animals. The hypothesis of the following retrospective study is: following multiple intravenous and intralesional injections of a mycobacterial cell wall stimulant (MCW) regression of SCC in equine, bovine and caprine patients will be observed. In this observational-retrospective case series, patients included are 2 bovine, 2 caprine and 3 equine patients. The medical records at two different teaching veterinary hospitals were searched for cases with a positive histopathological diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma that were subsequently treated with MCW, as either the sole therapy, or in conjunction with other therapies. Seven cases were included in this retrospective study. The median duration of therapy was 56.5 days, with 3 of the 7 patients being euthanized. Significant complications were seen in 3/7 patients. Repeated injections of a MCW may lead to reduction in lesion size of SCC in some cases, but long-term resolution is unlikely and the risk of significant complications is high; due to limited sample size and the variety in species, it is difficult to conclude if MCW is an effective therapy for SCC.
Copyright © 2021 Halleran, Yau, Paegelow, Streeter and Foster.
Publication Date: 2021-08-05 PubMed ID: 34422938PubMed Central: PMC8374311DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.635800Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study examines the effects of a mycobacterial cell wall stimulant (MCW) in treating squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in large animals. While some reduction in cancer lesions was observed, the therapy also presented significant complications in almost half of the cases, leading researchers to conclude that long-term resolution is unlikely and more research is necessary.
Research Objectives and Hypothesis
- This retrospective study sought to evaluate the potential of mycobacterial cell wall stimulant (MCW) in treating squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a common type of skin cancer, in large animals. The researchers hypothesized that intravenous and intralesional injections of MCW would lead to regression of SCC in equine, bovine, and caprine patients.
Methodology of the Study
- The researchers made use of medical records from two teaching veterinary hospitals. They sought cases with a positive histopathological diagnosis of SCC, where the patients were then treated with MCW, either as the sole therapy or in conjunction with other therapies.
- In this observational-retrospective case series, the researchers settled on seven cases consisting of 2 bovine, 2 caprine, and 3 equine patients. The median duration of therapy was 56.5 days
Key Findings
- The key conclusion from this research paper is that repeated injections of MCW can lead to a reduction in the size of SCC lesions. However, the risk of significant complications is high, with 3 out of 7 patients encountering notable issues. In fact, 3 of the 7 patients had to be euthanized.
- While some positive response was noted, the researchers highlighted that long-term resolution from SCC is unlikely with the MCW therapy. The high risk of complications also presents a considerable concern.
Limitations and Future Research
- The researchers identified the limited sample size and variety in species as principal limitations in this study, making it challenging to conclusively determine the efficacy of MCW as a treatment for SCC.
- As a result, more extensive research is required to understand better the potential benefits, risks, and optimal usage of MCW in treating SCC in large animals.
Cite This Article
APA
Halleran J, Yau K, Paegelow J, Streeter R, Foster D.
(2021).
Mycobacterial Cell Wall Stimulant in the Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Case Series Regarding Treatment in Equine, Bovine and Caprine Patients.
Front Vet Sci, 8, 635800.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.635800 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.
Conflict of Interest Statement
NovaVive supplied some product (Immunocidin) for free for the treatment of the bovine and caprine patients. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
References
This article includes 13 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Musser ML, Coto GM, Lingnan Y, Mochel JP, Johannes CM. Pilot safety evaluation of doxorubicin chemotherapy combined with non-specific immunotherapy (Immunocidin®) for canine splenic hemangiosarcoma.. PLoS One 2022;17(12):e0279594.
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