Serum α1-acid glycoprotein concentrations before and after relapse in dogs with lymphoma treated with doxorubicin

Abstract

Objective To determine whether serum α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) concentration was a useful marker of relapse in dogs with lymphoma that were in clinical remission following treatment with doxorubicin. Design Cohort study. Animals 12 dogs with lymphoma and 10 healthy dogs. Procedure Serum AGP concentration was measured in the healthy dogs and in the dogs with lymphoma before treatment, 3 weeks after the first dose of doxorubicin was administered, and every 3 weeks thereafter until relapse (ie, recurrence of clinically detectable disease such as palpable enlargement of peripheral lymph nodes). Serum AGP concentrations were determined by use of a radial immunodiffusion kit. Results Mean serum AGP concentration in healthy dogs was significantly less than concentration in dogs with lymphoma prior to treatment. Mean serum AGP concentrations after the first and each subsequent dose of doxorubicin were not significantly different from concentration in healthy dogs. However, mean serum AGP concentrations 3 weeks prior to and at the time of relapse were significantly higher than concentration measured after the first dose of doxorubicin, and were not significantly different from concentration measured before treatment. Clinical Implications Results suggest that measuring serum AGP concentration may be a useful method of predicting relapse before recurrence of clinically detectable disease in dogs with lymphoma undergoing treatment with doxorubicin. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 1999;214:1023–1025)