Splenic haemangiosarcoma in dogs after splenectomy: pegylated liposomal doxorubicin vs free doxorubicin — POSSIBLE

In dogs with splenic haemangiosarcoma after splenectomy, is pegylated liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin safer or more effective than free doxorubicin as adjuvant monotherapy?

Shelf #114 · gate-verified and approved by the developer

POSSIBLE: In the one randomised trial, pegylated liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin (PL-DOX) was neither more effective nor clearly safer than free doxorubicin as adjuvant monotherapy after splenectomy for splenic haemangiosarcoma (the treatment made no difference to survival). Median overall survival for all 34 dogs was 166 days (95% CI 148-184), with 41.2% alive at 6 months and 22.7% at 1 year, and no significant survival difference between the two arms of 17 dogs each. On safety the trade was different toxicity, not less toxicity: PL-DOX caused a desquamating dermatitis like palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia in 2 dogs and anaphylactic reactions in 3 dogs, while cardiotoxicity was seen in neither group. Tier C (survival claim). The trial is small, so a moderate benefit or harm from the liposomal formulation cannot be excluded; blinding is not established by the record. Drafted Nov 10, 2026 (VetMed build, topic #114); all figures from abstracts fetched and verified at drafting.

Teske 2011: PL-DOX vs free doxorubicin after splenectomy — no survival difference (median OS 166 days overall)

Randomized controlled trial (record's publication type: Randomized Controlled Trial; abstract wording: 'randomized prospective clinical trial')

Who: Dogs: dogs with splenic haemangiosarcoma treated by splenectomy, in a randomised prospective clinical trial of adjuvant monotherapy — 17 dogs treated with pegylated liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin (PL-DOX) and 17 with free doxorubicin.

Result: No significant difference in survival between the two treatments was found (the treatment made no difference). The calculated median overall survival time for the 34 dogs was 166 days [95% confidence interval (CI) 148-184]. The 1/2-year and 1-year survival was 41.2% (95% CI 24.8-56.9) and 22.7% (95% CI 9.9-37.4), respectively. In dogs treated with PL-DOX, a desquamating dermatitis like palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (PPES) was seen in 2 dogs, while 3 other dogs showed anaphylactic reactions. Cardiotoxicity was not seen in either treatment group.

Watch out: Small trial: 17 dogs per arm cannot exclude a moderate survival benefit or harm from PL-DOX, and the abstract reports pooled survival rather than arm-specific medians. Blinding is not established: the record establishes randomisation (publication type Randomized Controlled Trial; abstract 'randomized prospective clinical trial') but nowhere states that owners, clinicians or assessors were blinded. Safety was a stated aim, but the abstract gives adverse-event counts for the PL-DOX arm only, so a full arm-by-arm toxicity comparison cannot be made from the record.

Teske E, Rutteman GR, Kirpenstein J, Hirschberger J. A randomized controlled study into the efficacy and toxicity of pegylated liposome encapsulated doxorubicin as an adjuvant therapy in dogs with splenic haemangiosarcoma. Vet Comp Oncol. 2011;9(4):283-9. PMID: 22077409. Registry ID: none in the record. MeSH: Animals · Antibiotics, Antineoplastic · Chemoradiotherapy, Adjuvant · Dog Diseases · Dogs · Doxorubicin · Female · Germany · Hemangiosarcoma · Male · Polyethylene Glycols · Splenic Neoplasms · Survival Analysis

Synthesis: one small randomised trial — liposomal doxorubicin is a different toxicity, not a better treatment

Synthesis

Who: Synthesis of the card above: Teske 2011 (randomised prospective trial; 17 PL-DOX vs 17 free-doxorubicin dogs with splenic haemangiosarcoma after splenectomy).

Result: On the only randomised evidence available, switching from free doxorubicin to its pegylated liposomal form after splenectomy did not change survival (the treatment made no difference; pooled median 166 days) and did not remove toxicity — it swapped the risk profile toward skin desquamation (PPES-like, 2 dogs) and anaphylaxis (3 dogs), with no cardiotoxicity observed in either arm. With 17 dogs per arm the confidence intervals are wide, so this is a 'no difference shown' result, not proof the two forms are identical.

Watch out: Do not read the absence of cardiotoxicity in 34 dogs as proof either formulation is cardiosafe at cumulative doses; the trial was not powered for uncommon harms. Blinding is not established by the record, and adverse events are reported in full only for the PL-DOX arm.

Synthesis of Teske E et al. PMID: 22077409. Registry ID as on the individual card.

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