Palladia (toceranib phosphate) approved for treatment of canine mast cell tumors

Palladia is a new drug approved for treating cancer in dogs.

Palladia has just been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a drug which may be used as a treatment option for dogs suffering from cutaneous mast cell tumors. Available from Pfizer Animal Health, Palladia will be released first to board-certified specialists in order to collect a larger body of clinical experience with the drug.

Pfizer intends to eventually make Palladia more widely available through non-boarded veterinarians at some point in the future. Currently, their target is to release the drug more widely sometime during the early part of 2010.

What, exactly, is Palladia and how does it work?

Palladia contains a medication known as toceranib phosphate, which acts on mast cell tumors in two ways. Palladia works on individual tumor cells to kill these abnormal cells. It also acts on the blood vessels which supply the mast cell tumor or tumors, effectively cutting off the blood supply to these cancers.

Like any other cancer drug, Palladia may be more effective for some dogs than for others. Unfortunately, there is currently no way to predict which dogs will have a positive response to Palladia. There is also no way to be able to predict how long the positive response will last for an individual dog.

What dogs are candidates to be treated with Palladia?

Palladia has been specifically designed by its manufacturer, Pfizer Animal Health, to treat dogs suffering from cutaneous mast cell tumors, a form of skin cancer found in dogs. More specifically, Palladia is meant to be used in dogs in which the mast cell tumors have been recurrent and which are staged as grade II or grade III (the more aggressive, less easily treated form of the cancer which is most likely to spread to other parts of the body).

If effective, Palladia will shrink the mast cell tumors for dogs being treated with the drug. Palladia may also be used in conjunction with other treatments commonly used for mast cell tumors, such as surgical removal of tumors, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Does Palladia have any side effects for dogs being treated for mast cell tumors? 

Palladia does have the potential for side effects in treated dogs. Dog owners should observe their dogs for the following symptoms:

• depressed appetite or refusal to eat
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• fresh blood in vomit or feces
• dark, tarry feces
• abnormal or unexplained bruising or bleeding

Dog owners administering Palladia should contact their veterinarian immediately if these symptoms are noted.

Administering Palladia and handling clean-up chores for dogs being treated for mast cell tumors

Like many other cancer medications, Palladia needs to be handled with care as there are some dangers to humans which handle the medication itself or the body fluids of dogs receiving the medication.

Pregnant women, women nursing small children or women who are planning to become pregnant should be extremely cautious with this medication as Palladia has the potential to adversely affect an unborn fetus. Children should never be allowed to handle Palladia and Palladia, like any other prescription, should be stored in a secure location away from children and pets.

Palladia should be handled with gloves, particularly when handling broken tablets or tablets which a medicated dog has "spit up". Dog owners should not attempt to split or break Palladia tablets into smaller portions or pieces as this will disrupt the protective coating surrounding the medication. Dog owners should also wash their hands thoroughly after handling Palladia tablets.

Palladia tablets should be administered to dogs being treated with the medication as soon as the tablet is removed from the bottle and the bottle should promptly be returned to its secure location. Dog owners should also check to be certain the entire tablet was ingested if they are hiding the tablet in food to facilitate administration.

Dog owners cleaning dog feces, urine or vomit for dogs being treated with Palladia should wear gloves when doing so. Any feces, urine or vomit and any paper towels or other disposable goods used in the cleaning process should be placed in a tightly secured plastic trash bag, which may be disposed of with regular household trash. Sealing the bag reduces the possibility of further human exposure to the medication through contact with body wastes.

Bedding, sheets, towels and other items soiled with body fluids (feces, urine or vomit) should not be laundered with other items when a dog is being treated with Palladia.

For further information about Palladia, contact your local veterinarian. For further information about mast cell tumors: Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs