A Retrospective Comparison of Survival, Tumour Reduction and Relapse Outcomes Following Oclacitinib and CCNU Treatment in Dogs With Canine Epitheliotropic T-Cell Lymphoma.

Oclacitinib may offer comparable palliative outcomes to CCNU in CETL with fewer adverse effects.

This retrospective study compared clinical outcomes in 23 dogs with confirmed canine epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma (CETL) treated with either CCNU/lomustine (n=11) or oclacitinib (n=12) over a 16-year period (2008–2024). Primary outcomes included tumour response (reduction in measurable tumour burden), overall survival time from histopathological diagnosis to death, and time-to-relapse in dogs achieving complete or good responses. No statistically significant differences were identified between treatment groups for any primary outcome (p>0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis confirmed no significant difference in overall survival between groups (log-rank test, p=0.20). Notably, oclacitinib was associated with a more favourable adverse effect profile and required less intensive patient monitoring compared to CCNU, which carries known risks of myelosuppression and hepatotoxicity. Demographic variables including sex, age, and weight were assessed to evaluate potential confounding between groups. The study acknowledges important limitations including its retrospective design, small sample size, and inherent selection bias, which preclude definitive conclusions. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that oclacitinib may provide palliative outcomes comparable to CCNU in CETL management while offering a potentially safer therapeutic profile. The authors advocate for prospective, controlled studies with larger cohorts to validate these preliminary findings. This research is clinically relevant as CETL remains an aggressive, generally incurable malignancy with limited evidence-based treatment options, and identifying safer alternatives to cytotoxic chemotherapy would meaningfully benefit affected patients and their owners.

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