New Canine Cancer Drug
Oscar, a Bichon Frise, is living proof that a new drug developed to fight cancerous tumors is working. After receiving treatment for an anal sac adeneocarcinoma five years ago, he’s still going strong and now being called a “miracle dog.”
According to WebMD, researchers at the Center for Hematology & Oncology Molecular Therapeutics at the Cleveland Clinic treated Oscar for his fast-moving cancer using a drug called nitroslcobalamin and with no side effects. After a grim diagnosis, having no response to chemo and radiation therapies, and losing his ability walk, Oscar amazingly responded to the treatment in just two weeks, regained his ability to walk, and has lived another five years.
Two other dogs have also responded to the drug with no side effects, a third is currently being treated, and scientists hope to have successful results in another ten before testing the drug in humans.
The drug is made up of nitric oxide (NO), attached to vitamin B12 and acts as a Trojan Horse. Receptors on a cancer cell’s surface attract the B12 (which helps the cells to grow faster)tricking them, only to release the NO killing them. A news release from the American Chemical Society stated that scientists have been trying for more than 60 years to develop this type of ‘backdoor’ to help fight cancer.
You can read the full article here.
An estimated 6 million dogs each year are diagnosed with cancer. Thanks to the National Canine Cancer Foundation, here is a list of symptoms to watch for and should be quickly noted to your veterinarian as soon as possible.
10 Early Warning Signs:
- Difficulty breathing, urinating, or defecating
This is definately some great news in the find for a cure, not only for canines, but for humans as well.
Photo by WebMD.
Related posts:
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
[...] Previous Post: New Canine Cancer Drug [...]