Curing brain cancer in a dog named "Petey"

A drug currently used to treat colon cancer in people successfully treated a type of brain tumor, called a glioma, in a dog named "Petey". After removing the tumor, Dr. Simon Platt administered the drug to the brain where it prevented the tumor from returning. The next step is to conduct a larger study that includes more dogs. If successful, the drug may be used in clinical studies of humans to treat glioblastomas, a similar form of brain cancer that affects roughly 13,000 people annually and for which there is currently no cure.

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This is interesting. Lost a good friend to glioblastoma a few years back. So if they can treat it now that's great!

I want to see more options for this disease than that quack Burzynski, so I await further news with baited breath.

By Bob Blaskiewicz (not verified) on 10 Aug 2013 #permalink

I think that this is an interesting concept and I would really like to know how this veterinarian came up with injecting a drug that was already being used for colon cancer into the region of the brain of a dog where he just removed a glioma. I'm also very excited to see where this discovery is heading, especially since Dr. Platt received funding from the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation to continue this study. If his study is successful then he not only will save the lives of other dogs but he will also get recognized by veterinarians across the world. Eventually, Dr. Platt could be using the results of this study to work with Neurologists and Neurosurgeons to perform a similar study on humans, like the news reported mentioned in the video. I know that this step is a long ways down the road, but this small success story could be a large step for curing brain tumors down the road.

By Shannon J. (not verified) on 08 Feb 2014 #permalink