Evaluating a Combination Therapy Approach for Oral Cancer in Cats

SUMMARY: Researchers will investigate the safety and anticancer effects of a new combination of radiation and drug therapy for treating cats with oral squamous cell carcinoma, one of the most frequently diagnosed tumors in cats. 

THE PROBLEM: Oral cancer is the fourth most common tumor affecting pet cats.  Of the different cancers involving the oral cavity, 75% are a deadly tumor called oral squamous cell carcinoma. Often, OSCC strikes older cats that suffer from additional health problems, such as reduced kidney and heart function. As a population, these older cats with OSCC are physically fragile. They cannot tolerate aggressive treatments, including radical surgery or curative intent radiation therapy, that require multiple episodes of general anesthesia. While OSCC remains a formidable disease, researchers hold hope for developing newer treatment options to combat this cancer, particularly for older patients, more effectively. 

THE PROJECT: In search for better ways to treat cats with OSCC, researchers will explore combining a shortened course of radiation therapy with two drugs – olaparib and bexagliflozin – for cats with OSCC. First, the team will test their combination therapy in OSCC cell lines. Based on these results, the team then will enroll 18 pet cats diagnosed with OSCC in a clinical trial. All cat patients will receive standard-of-care interventions, along with combination therapy. 

POTENTIAL IMPACT: Despite an extensive search for better treatments for OSCC, we’ve made little to no progress in improving the prognosis for cats with this cancer for nearly 30 years. The team hopes the new shortened combination therapy will enhance tumor cell killing, as well as stimulate the immune system to fight cancer in cats impacted by this painful an deadly cancer. If successful, this novel approach can be quickly adopted in most specialty veterinary hospitals across the United States and other countries, improving treatment outcomes and survival times for cat patients.