Lymphoma: Which Chemotherapy Protocol and Why?

Lymphoma is the most common hematologic neoplasm of dogs. Although the order of drug administration and duration of the maintenance portion of the protocol vary considerably, most oncologists agree that a doxorubicin-based (eg, CHOP) combination chemotherapy protocol provides the longest period of disease control and overall survival. The use of a prolonged maintenance phase is no longer recommended, but consolidation therapy may prove to be of benefit. Further, combination of chemotherapy with half- or whole-body radiation therapy or even bone marrow transplant is advocated by some institutions. The goal of this article is to summarize the current literature regarding chemotherapy for dogs with high-grade lymphoma and provide recommendations for therapy in a variety of different scenarios.