Update on my Multipoo Boone’s cancer

So lots has transpired since we first thought Boone had osteosarcoma at his skull. Actually it turned out to be nasal carcinoma that migrated to the skull. Biopsy determined it to be an undifferentiated carcinoma (fairly aggressive growth). What this meant was radiation therapy as SOC and limited expected success with chemo options afterwards. We chose to do SRT (3 days at 10 GY fractions). It’s been 6 weeks since we finished the radiation therapy.

Since it wasn’t osteosarcoma, Boone could not be considered for Yale University’s immunotherapy clinical trial (polyclonal canine antibody equivalent of the human monoclonal Cetuximab). The antibodies target over expressed HER2 or EGFR proteins. For Boone this means his carcinoma will need to over express EGFR (~ 70% chance per some published papers I’ve reviewed). However, Yale approved Boone to receive the vaccine under compassionate access and he gets the first shot this week, then the second shot at 21 days. The vet draws blood samples at baseline, 21 days, and 45 days. These are sent back to Yale to the contribute to the immune response data for nasal carcinoma cancers. Hopefully we can add to the improvements of future immunotherapy methods.

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Ok, so that’s the conventional approach we’ve committed to following. Meanwhile, on the alternative front, since early January I began a treatment of Fenbendazole (10mg/lb) 6 days per week with milk thistle liver support, and added immunity boosting mushroom supplements. I transitioned Boone to a ketogenic diet (~ 70%fat/28% protein/2% net carbs daily). Most recently I have added modified citrus pectin (MCP). This is due to a paper I found that indicated MCP may help increase the effectiveness of Cetuximab antibodies by interfering with free Galectin-3 molecules (makes it more difficult for tumor cells to mass together or metastasize). So the alternative approach is to attack the cancer cells by Fenbendazole’s disruptive mechanisms, starve the cancer cells of glucose, and try hard to help the immune system bolstered by the vaccine antibodies to go to war with the cancer.

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Boone is tolerating the alternative treatment protocol pretty well, and so far side effects of SRT have been limited to hair loss. We expect rhinitis to become an issue soon. So I’m hoping I can administer an antihistamine without interfering with the immunotherapy. We wait to see how that goes. There’s about a 20% chance Boone will experience a sterile abscess at the vaccine injection site. Hopefully that doesn’t happen but treatment methods are well understood.

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We decided to wait a few months to do a follow up CT. Timed to see maximum impact of SRT, and hopefully immunotherapy. I don’t think we will ever pursue chemotherapy, but continue the alternative protocol. So that’s where we are with Boone. I can’t wait for warm weather to finally arrive so he can get outside for more walks and play time. Here’s a recent photo. His hair is just starting to grow back a little bit.

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