Canine Mucosal Melanoma:

Efficacity of the immunotherapy APAVAC®

Aggressiveness of mucosal melanomas

Small animal veterinary medicine is faced with a growing incidence of malignant tumors (1). In particular, the incidence of tumors in dogs is said to exceed 1,000 cases per 100,000 dogs/year (2). According to the authors, malignant tumors can be responsible for between one-third and one-half of mortality in dogs, mainly affecting older animals (3).

Among them, melanoma displays a wide range of biological behaviours, depending on its site of origin and histological characteristics (4).

Melanomas of mucosal origin are also considered the most aggressive, with high rates of local recurrence and systemic metastasis, and short survival and disease-free times (4). 

What treatment strategies ?

They are generally multimodal, involving surgery, radiotherapy and systemic therapies (5), often associated with low response rates and short-lasting effects (6-10).

Thus, advanced melanoma is one of the most treatment-refractory malignancies, and its treatment remains unsatisfactory. Despite decades of research, no new drug has been recommended for canine melanoma, and no consensus on a standard first-line treatment has yet been established.

Overall, the median survival of dogs with surgically resected stage II-III oral melanoma is only 3-12 months, with a one-year survival rate estimated at around 20% (7).

Publication of a case repport

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/386506106_APAVAC_Immunotherapy_for_the_Adjuvant_Treatment_of_a_Canine_Mucosal_Melanoma

The veterany team of the University of Teramo (11) reports a clinical case of a primary malignant anorectal melanoma in an 11-year-old beagle, operated on for excision of the tumor confirmed on histopathology with evidence of extension of the neoplasm infiltrating the underlying muscular and fibroadiliac tissues.

The authors describe the results of treatment with the APAVAC® vaccin as the unique adjuvant modality associated with incomplete melanoma excision, and report a survival still ongoing at the time of writing, which means:

at least 540 days after diagnosis 
with no evidence of tumor recurrence and/or metastatic progression.

To conclude

With 10 years' hindsight and over 1,200 animals treated, no toxicity or side effects were reported,the autologous APAVAC® therapeutic vaccine has amply demonstrated its clinical efficacy in the treatment of numerous animal cancers, with or without chemotherapy.

As with all targeted therapies, personalization of treatment enables us to provide the most precise and effective alternative for each patient.

To be notice :

APAVAC® treatment binds, concentrates and vectors tumor antigens, which, combined with heat shock proteins, activate the animal's specific immune system against its own tumor.

Son mécanisme d’action s’appuie sur l’effet cytotoxique direct des lymphocytes T CD8+ mais implique aussi l’activation des lymphocytes T CD4+ auxiliaires indispensables à la stimulation continue et prolongée des cellules effectrices de la cytotoxicité à l’encontre des cellules tumorales.

More information ?

You'd like to talk about using APAVAC® on an animal in your care?

Would you like to order?

Contact-us by e-mail : adv@hastim.fr or by phone : +33 (0)5 34 47 86 10

REFERENCES

1. Grüntzig K, Graf R, Hässig M, Welle M, Meier D, Lott G, et al. The Swiss Canine Cancer Registry: a retrospective study on the occurrence of tumours in dogs in Switzerland from 1955 to 2008. J Comp Pathol. avr 2015;152(2‑3):161‑71.
2. Baioni E, Scanziani E, Vincenti MC, Leschiera M, Bozzetta E, Pezzolato M, et al. Estimating canine cancer incidence: findings from a population-based tumour registry in northwestern Italy. BMC Vet Res. 28 juin 2017;13(1):203.
3. Mizuno T. Spontaneously occurring canine cancer as a relevant animal model for developing novel treatments for human cancers. Transl Regul Sci. 2021;3(2):51‑9.
4. Smedley RC, Bongiovanni L, Bacmeister C, Clifford CA, Christensen N, Dreyfus JM, et al. Diagnosis and histopathologic prognostication of canine melanocytic neoplasms: A consensus of the Oncology-Pathology Working Group. Vet Comp Oncol. 2022;20(4):739‑51. .
5. Pazzi P, Steenkamp G, Rixon AJ. Treatment of Canine Oral Melanomas: A Critical Review of the Literature. Vet Sci. 19 avr 2022;9(5).
6. Brockley LK, Cooper MA, Bennett PF. Malignant melanoma in 63 dogs (2001-2011): the effect of carboplatin chemotherapy on survival. N Z Vet J. janv 2013;61(1):25‑31. .
7. Cancedda S, Rohrer Bley C, Aresu L, Dacasto M, Leone VF, Pizzoni S, et al. Efficacy and side effects of radiation therapy in comparison with radiation therapy and temozolomide in the treatment of measurable canine malignant melanoma. Vet Comp Oncol. déc 2016;14(4):e146‑57.
8. Freeman KP, Hahn KA, Harris FD, King GK. Treatment of dogs with oral melanoma by hypofractionated radiation therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy (1987-1997). J Vet Intern Med. févr 2003;17(1):96‑101.
9. Hume KR, Johnson JL, Williams LE. Adverse Effects of Concurrent Carboplatin Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy in Dogs. J Vet Intern Med. 2009;23(1):24‑30.
10. Rassnick KM, McEntee MC, Erb HN, Burke BP, Balkman CE, Flory AB, et al. Comparison of 3 Protocols for Treatment after Induction of Remission in Dogs with Lymphoma. J Vet Intern Med. 2007;21(6):1364‑73.
11. Rinaldi V, Bongiovanni L, Crisi P, Vignoli M, Peli R, Masci S, et al. APAVAC® Immunotherapy for the Adjuvant Treatment of a Canine Mucosal Melanoma. Vet Sci. déc 2024;11.

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