Study Name: Melanoma Vaccine Study
Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to determine if stimulating a patient’s immune system in a very specific way will prolong survival times in dogs with oral melanoma. Also, to determine if this specific immune system stimulation will inhibit new blood vessel formation in the tumour environment.
Patient Entry Criteria: In general, these studies are available to qualifying patients living within 100 miles of the Animal Cancer Centre at Colorado State University. The patient must have the disease of oral melanoma which has been confirmed by biopsy. The disease may have spread to area lymphnodes, but must not have spread to the lungs. The
oral melanoma tumour masses must be accessible for therapeutic injection and surgical removal. No other medical conditions may be present that might limit the patient’s life. The patient is not allowed to have received radiation therapy or any chemotherapy prior to presentation. No additional medication may be given once the patient is enrolled into the study. For more information regarding entry criteria, please contact the Consult Coordinator at 970-297-4195.
Owner Responsibilities: The client must allow a biopsy to be performed prior to admission into the study to confirm the diagnosis of oral melanoma. After the initial diagnostic visit, the client is required to bring the patient to regularly scheduled visits for treatment and rechecks (on two occasions, visits will be four days apart) for up to a year after treatment. At each visit of the treatment phase, the patient may receive sedatives or general anesthesia to facilitate therapy. No additional medication may be given once the patient is enrolled into the study.
Financial Incentives: The owner pays for the initial diagnostic work up. The study pays for all treatment visits and for any adverse events that may occur as a direct result of the treatment injections. Additionally, the study will pay $750 toward the cost of surgical removal of the tumour. It is required that the tumour be surgically removed during the course of therapy. For more information regarding financial incentives, please contact the Consult Coordinator at
970-297-4195.
Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to determine if stimulating a patient’s immune system in a very specific way will prolong survival times in dogs with oral melanoma. Also, to determine if this specific immune system stimulation will inhibit new blood vessel formation in the tumour environment.