Canine osteosarcoma: amputation and chemoimmunotherapy.

Canine osteosarcoma is a highly metastatic cancer commonly seen in large breed dogs. At the time of diagnosis, approximately 90% to 95% of the dogs have established micrometastases. Dogs undergoing amputation alone have a median survival time of 3 to 4 months. Amputation followed by cisplatin chemotherapy increases median survival times to 9 to 11 months. When dogs are treated with amputation and cisplatin, followed by immunotherapy (with liposome-encapsulated muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine), median survival times increase to 14.4 months, the longest reported median survival time for dogs with osteosarcoma treated by amputation and any form of adjuvant therapy.