Canine Gastric Cancer: Current Treatment Approaches

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Human gastric cancer is a prevalent cancer worldwide with a high mortality rate. Although sharing many other features, the incidence of gastric cancer is lower in dogs than in humans. Surgery is the first-line treatment; however, it is associated with several complications. Nevertheless, chemotherapy to treat canine gastric cancer has not received much attention, probably due to its late diagnosis, fast progression, low median survival time, and very high mortality rate, along with the lack of publications with concrete scientific results. In this review, we explore the pharmacological approach used in treatment of this often-fatal disease. ABSTRACT: Human gastric cancer (GC) ranks as the fifth most prevalent cancer worldwide, and is the third leading cause of cancer-related death. The incidence of GC is lower in dogs than in humans, accounting for less than 1% of all canine malignancies. In recent years, efforts have been made to understand the pathogenesis of GC and in find an appropriate therapy to maximize curative results, such as adjuvant chemotherapy treatments in addition to surgery. Although surgery is the first-line treatment, it is associated with several complications. In terms of chemotherapeutic intervention, canine gastric cancer has not received much attention, probably due to its late diagnosis, fast progression, low median survival time, and very high mortality rate, along with the lack of publications with concrete scientific results. In this review, we explore canine GC and the pharmacological approach used in the treatment of this often-fatal disease.