RESUMEN
Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a powerful immunostimulatory cytokine with a strong antitumoural activity. In this work, the immunological, anti-angiogenic and clinical effects of three consecutive intratumoural IL-12 electrogene therapy (EGT) treatments were evaluated in nine dogs with spontaneous cancer. In all the dogs, tumour biopsies and blood samples were taken prior, during and after the intratumoural IL-12 EGT (on days 1, 8, 35 and 1, 3, 8, 15, 35, respectively). An initial decrease in immune cells was followed by an increase above baseline 1-3 weeks after treatment initiation. Interestingly, the decrease in peripheral leukocytes 2 days after the first intratumoural IL-12 EGT coincided with erythema and tumour swelling. Transient increases of IL-12 and interferon γ were measured in the serum and the tumour tissue, whereas IL-10 transiently increased only in the serum. The effect of intratumoural IL-12 EGT on the levels of IL-24 and vascular endothelial growth factor in the sera and tumour biopsies differed per dog. Via contrast-enhanced ultrasound (US) (on days 1, 8 and 35), we demonstrated that intratumoural IL-12 EGT resulted in a significant decrease of the relative blood volume and blood flow speed in the tumour compared with baseline. Metastases were present in two dogs. In one of these dogs, IL-12 EGT of the primary tumour caused a transient partial regression of the metastases, but not of the primary tumour. The second dog with metastases did not survive long enough to complete the entire treatment cycle. Despite encouraging immunostimulatory and anti-angiogenic effects after intratumoural IL-12 EGT, no clinically relevant outcomes were observed in this study, as persistent tumour regression could not be obtained. On the other hand, the laboratory and US results hold great promise for combinatorial strategies of intratumoural IL-12 EGT with conventional antitumour (immuno)therapies.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades de los Perros/tratamiento farmacológico , Electroquimioterapia/veterinaria , Terapia Genética/veterinaria , Interleucina-12/uso terapéutico , Neoplasias/veterinaria , Animales , Citocinas/metabolismo , Enfermedades de los Perros/diagnóstico por imagen , Perros , Electroquimioterapia/métodos , Femenino , Terapia Genética/métodos , Inmunoterapia/métodos , Inmunoterapia/veterinaria , Interleucina-12/administración & dosificación , Interleucina-12/genética , Masculino , Neoplasias/diagnóstico por imagen , Neoplasias/tratamiento farmacológico , Ultrasonografía/veterinariaRESUMEN
Canine pancreatic tumours are rare compared to human medicine and the detection and differentiation of pancreatic neoplasia is challenging with B-mode ultrasonography, which often leads to late clinical diagnosis and poor prognosis. This case report describes the findings of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in four dogs with pancreatic adenocarcinoma or insulinoma. B-mode ultrasonography of the pancreas revealed a hypoechoic nodule in three dogs and heterogenous tissue in one dog. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was able to differentiate between two tumour types: adenocarcinomas showed hypoechoic and hypovascular lesions, whereas insulinomas showed uniformly hypervascular lesions. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography findings were confirmed by cytology and/or histopathology. The results demonstrated that contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was able to establish different enhancement patterns between exocrine (adenocarcinoma) and endocrine (insulinoma) tumours in dogs.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades de los Perros/diagnóstico por imagen , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/veterinaria , Adenocarcinoma/diagnóstico por imagen , Adenocarcinoma/veterinaria , Animales , Medios de Contraste , Perros , Femenino , Insulinoma/diagnóstico por imagen , Insulinoma/veterinaria , Masculino , Páncreas/diagnóstico por imagen , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/diagnóstico por imagen , UltrasonografíaRESUMEN
REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Arthroscopy of the fetlock joints is a routine surgical procedure in the horse. It is unclear how much of the articular surface of the condyles of the metacarpal (MCIII)/metatarsal (MTIII) bone can be visualised using either the dorsal or palmar/plantar arthroscopic approach. OBJECTIVES: To investigate which part of the articular surface of the MCIII/MTIII condyles of the fetlock joints can be evaluated arthroscopically using: 1) dorsal approach in combination with flexion; 2) standard palmar/plantar approach; or 3) additional portal at the base of the sesamoid bone with joint extension. METHODS: All 3 arthroscopic approaches were performed on 20 fore- and 20 hindlimbs of 14 cadavers. For each approach, a curette was inserted ipsilaterally to create a lesion at the most distal part of the condyle that could be seen. After disarticulation and placement of a nail in each lesion, the maximally reachable angle was calculated on a perfect lateromedial radiograph. The 0 degrees angle was determined as the distal crossing of the best fitting circle around the condyle with a line parallel to the dorsal MCIII/MTIII bone running through the circle centre (positive angle dorsal to 0 degrees, negative palmar/plantar to 0 degrees). RESULTS: Using the dorsal approach with flexion, a significantly larger area of visualisation was present in the hind- (-23.4 degrees) compared to the forelimb (+2.7 degrees). Using the palmar/plantar approach (fore: -60.4 degrees; hind: -70.7 degrees) and the approach at the base of the sesamoid bone (fore: -36.3 degrees; hind: -47.6 degrees) more cartilage could be seen in the fore- compared to the hindlimb. When combining the 3 approaches, the remaining nonvisible part measured 38.9 degrees in the fore- and 24.2 degrees in the hindlimb, both located palmaro/plantarodistally. CONCLUSIONS: The use of dorsal and palmar/plantar arthroscopic approaches in combination with flexion and extension of the fetlock joint allows visualisation of the majority of the cartilage of the MCIII/MTIII condyles. The nonvisible section is smaller in the hindlimb compared to the forelimb. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Knowledge of the specific areas of visualisation of the condyles on arthroscopy is important for both diagnostic and therapeutic planning of fetlock disorders.