Hemangiosarcoma (HSA) is one of the most aggressive cancers out there with a very low survival rate by the time it is detected in our dogs. Hemangiosarcoma treatments in dogs have previously only extended the life of a dog few months. That’s the reason NCCF has funded part of the research being done by the University of Minnesota that has led to a breakthrough in treating this dreaded disease! A drug that the University of Minnesota created has improved the survival rates of dogs who have Hemangiosarcoma.
The sobering statistics tell us that only 10% of dogs will survive one year past their diagnosis. Less than 50% will survive 4-6 months past diagnosis.
Some of the money in gifts from our generous donors has allowed researchers to come together and create a treatment that can extend a dog’s life beyond current expectations.
What the Study Uncovered
In the first phase of the study, the researchers developed and refined a blood test to diagnose hemangiosarcoma. The researchers worked to determine whether the blood test accurately detects the presence of HSA in dogs. They found that about 90% of the time, the test does indeed accurately identify dogs in which the disease is present.
In the second phase, they determined how effective this test is in determining whether the disease had returned in a dog that is being treated for the disease. To date, the results suggest the test can do this and they expect to be able to confirm this through ongoing analysis of the available data.
The focus of the third phase was to establish the utility of the test to diagnose hemangiosarcoma in the earliest stages, with the aim of preventing the disease in otherwise healthy dogs. In other words, the question they sought to answer was, “Can we identify dogs at high risk of hemangiosarcoma that would benefit from prevention?” It seems this is possible.
209 dogs were tested as part of Shine On phase-3 and they will be followed to establish the reliability of the test results, and how often the test would need to be repeated to maximize its utility. The researchers estimate that there is a less than 1% likelihood of a dog that tests “negative” to develop hemangiosarcoma over the subsequent 6-month period, more than 90% of dogs with a “positive” test require further evaluation for the presence of disease, and those where HSA is not identifiable would be candidates for prevention.
How would this prevention be achieved? By using the drug eBAT to kill the cells that create and maintain the tumor and to make the conditions unfavorable to tumor growth.
The researchers will continue to follow the 209 dogs tested as part of Shine On phase-3 to establish the reliability of the test results, and how often the test would need to be repeated to maximize its utility.
Is eBAT Safe
It is natural to wonder if eBAT is safe, and if it is effective for HSA prevention?” The good news is that eBAT has proven to be remarkably safe and its potential side effects are readily manageable. There will be ongoing follow-up of dogs at risk that did – or did not – receive eBAT prevention will allow the research team to confirm the effectiveness of eBAT in the prevention of hemangiosarcoma.
Updates of these results will continue to be disseminated through scientific and veterinary meetings at health seminars, as well as through scientific, peer-reviewed publications.
Why eBAT?
The drug eBAT was invented by study senior author Daniel Vallera, Ph.D., professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School and Masonic Cancer Center.
“eBAT was created to specifically target tumors while causing minimal damage to the immune system. HSA is a vascular cancer, meaning it forms from blood vessels. eBAT was selected for this trial because it can simultaneously target the tumor and its vascular system,” said Vallera.
Lead study author Antonella Borgatti, D.V.M., M.S., associate professor with the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine said, “In this trial we aimed for a sweet spot by identifying a dose of eBAT that was effective to treat the cancer, but caused no appreciable harm to the patient. Essentially we’re treating the cancer in a safer and more effective way, improving quality of life and providing a better chance at survival,”
Successes with eBAT
eBAT, the Hemangiosarcoma treatment for dogs, was tested on 23 dogs of various breeds, both large and small, with Hemangiosarcoma of the spleen. Dogs received three treatments of eBAT after surgery to remove the tumor and before conventional chemotherapy. The drug treatment improved the 6-month survival rate to approximately 70% and five of the 23 dogs that received eBAT treatment lived more than 450 days.
“This is likely the most significant advance in the treatment of canine HSA in the last three decades,” said study co-author Jaime Modiano, V.M.D., Ph.D., professor in the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and member of the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota.
“We would also like this drug to achieve positive outcomes for humans here,” Modiano said. “The ultimate goal for all of us is to create a world in which we no longer fear cancer.”
This study gives us hope that Hemangiosarcoma treatments in dogs are getting better and working toward ending cancer as a death sentence.
What You Can Do To Help
Join us in continuing to FIGHT CANINE CANCER! Your donations are making a difference! To make a difference in Hemangiosarcoma treatment in dogs, and to fight dog cancer, please go to our donation page. Also, all purchase in our store fund the fight again cancer in dogs.
Where can I get this eBAT.
I have a 14 yr old golden just diagnosed with this.
I don’t understand why no one ever answers how we can buy this medicine.
Lindsay – It is not widely available to the public yet, it is still being researched. However, if you call University of Minnesota’s Vet Med School you can talk to them to see if they are offering it as part of a trial still.
I lost my forever friend, Thor, a 7 year old golden retriever in darn near perfect health, July 3rd, 2021. He had hemangiosarcoma that caused a tumor on his heart. We had No idea what caused this to kill him in a matter of days. I want a cure. I dont want anyone to ever feel like this again. We had no time to put up a fight.
Bobbie, I am so sorry you lost Thor like that. Heart Hemangiosarcoma is even worse that splenetic. It moves fast and is much harder on them I believe. We lost our Armani to Heart HSA when we were winning against his Oral Melanoma, it was just not fair.
This is great news! I had never heard of HSA until my 8yr old German Shepherd, Bella, was unexpectedly diagnosed with it. She had a tumor on her spleen that was bleeding. She was a healthy happy girl. How did this happen. 17 days after diagnosis I had to make the heartbreaking decision to let her go. She was my heart!!
Oh I am so sorry to hear that Bella had HSA. In my opinion it is one of the meanest cancers there is. I have lost several to it and most of them have been unexpected. We were even winning the battle against Oral Melanoma and then heart HSA snuck up and took him from us.
Hi, what about cats with HSA. Could cats benefit from eBat?
I’m not sure about cats and eBat, but if you look on the University of Minnesota Veternary Medicine site, there is more about it there as well as a contact where you can ask!
We lost our 9 1/2 year old basset last year to this horrible cancer and we just lost our 11 1/2 year old yesterday to it😢. Please lord let eBat help our precious dogs.
Where can this eBAT be bought
Michael – It is not on the market yet, but try contacting the University of Minnesota’s Vet Medicine School and see if they are offering it.
We just lost our almost 10 yr. old German Shepherd a month ago. We took him to the Vet in the morning, we thought, just to have some blood work done. Never had a thought that he wouldn’t be coming home again. We spent the next week in total shock and disbelief. The only symptom of anything was an elevated temperature. Urinalysis and stool samples completely negative. So sudden and unexpected. Our house just seems so empty now. Hopefully, somewhere there is a lot of research going on to find a cause and treatment for this horrible cancer.
Oh Cliff that is awful. Hemangiosarcoma is a mean cancer and always seems to sneak up on the dogs. We have lost many to HSA and it is very hard to see coming. Bailey, the dog who lead us to start the NCCF, he had several issues, but it took a couple of weeks for them to figure out it was cancer. We are doing our best to find better treatments and hopefully a cure one day. I am so sorry for your loss and the empty house feeling. Please know that you are not alone.
My almost 11 year old Aussie collapsed Thanksgiving weekend. Her gums were pale and her paws were cold and she was walking funny. 20 minutes before she was running the property with my other two, who are almost 10 and 6, like she was a puppy. The emergency vet broke the news to us that she had a splenic tumor and we probably didn’t have long with her. I went thinking this healthy dog was anemic and was in shock. The next day our vet found one in her heart as well. She was my first empty nest dog and so special. We knew the day after Christmas when she woke up and was wobbly that we needed to say goodbye. The month in between she was completely herself and got and gave us lots of love, but I am still in shock how a seemingly healthy dog went down so fast. She was a double MDR1 and one of my others, although from a different breeder was bred with one of theirs. I already did an ultrasound on my almost 10 year old and will probably continue to do so over the years, but was wondering if there was any genetic testing anyone was doing that may be available to test for a common gene. This is unbelievably heart breaking and I want to do anything I can for my other pups.
What is no research being done on what is the cause of this insidious cancer? If Vinyl Chloride PVC is causing this in humans, why is the PVC allowed in the manufacture of dog toys?
Why doesn’t the FDA or EPA protect our animals from toxins?
All very good questions Joanne…
Following a splenectomy and biopsy we were told today that my daughters best friend Oreo has Hemangiosarcoma. Does anyone have comparison of all current treatments? Looks like eBAT is one of the more effective treatments out there but have only just started reading up on it. We have an appointment with the oncologist and would like to ask him for referrals to either a trial or see if he can gain access to one of the newer meds such as eBAT