Karma is a 5.5-year-old spayed female Great Pyrenees who presented with a right forelimb lameness caused by a lytic lesion in the distal radius. Following evaluation by her referring veterinarian, she was diagnosed with a suspected osteosarcoma.
As part of her staging workup, Dr. Cletzer performed chest radiographs and an abdominal ultrasound on June 1, which fortunately showed no evidence of metastatic disease. With a clean staging evaluation, Karma was able to move forward with surgery.
On June 11, she underwent a right forelimb amputation. During the procedure, a large portion of the tumor was collected and submitted for the creation of a personalized cancer vaccine, while a smaller sample was sent for biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.
Karma recovered remarkably well following surgery and was walking comfortably within just one day of her procedure. She began chemotherapy with her first dose of carboplatin on June 15 and has since started her personalized vaccine protocol. She has already received three vaccine treatments on July 7, July 14, and July 21.
The goal of combining surgery, chemotherapy, and a personalized vaccine is to help extend survival beyond what surgery and chemotherapy alone can typically achieve. Karma continues to do very well, and her case highlights the exciting potential of combining advanced surgical care with innovative cancer therapies to provide patients with the best possible outcomes.
