The Chemo Regimen

The chemo protocol that Jenna is on is a slightly altered version of something called the University of Wisconsin-Madison canine lymphoma protocol. It is what's known as a "multi-agent" chemotherapy protocol - that is, several different drugs are used in a course of treatment. This is Jenna's chemo regimen:

Week 1: vincristine (brand name Oncovin) given once IV at the clinic, prednisone (pills) given daily at home
Week 2: asparaginase (brand name Elspar) given as a single subQ injection at the clinic, prednisone given daily at home
Week 3: cyclophosphamide (brand name Cytoxan) pills given for 4 days at home, prednisone daily at home
Week 4: vincristine IV at clinic, prednisone daily at home
Week 5: doxorubicin (brand name Adriamycin) given IV for a full day at clinic
Week 6: no chemo - blood work and recheck only (yay! This is a cheap week!)
Week 7: vincristine once IV at clinic
Week 8: cyclophosphamide pills for 4 days
Week 9: vincristine IV at clinic
Week 10: doxorubicin IV at clinic

If in complete remission at this point, treatments continue every other week:

Week 12: vincristine
Week 14: cyclophosphamide
Week 16: vincristine
Week 18: doxorubicin
Week 20: vincristine
Week 22: cyclophosphamide
Week 24: vincristine
Week 26: doxorubicin

If in complete remission at this point, all therapy stops and monthly rechecks are done. (Keep your fingers crossed!)

It sounds intense, but it isn't so bad. We only go to the clinic once a week. For the vincristine, asparaginase, and doxorubicin, we drop her off in the morning and pick her up at end of the day. Our vet likes to keep her there for the day so that she can monitor her for several hours after treatment, to make sure that Jenna isn't going to have any serious reactions. For the Cytoxan, we just take her in for a checkup and blood work, and then we take her home and give her the chemo at home. Our vet does an exam, including blood work, every week. Jenna also gets Sulcrate pills every day, to protect her stomach from the potential side effects of chemo. Right now, we're starting week 9. So far, so good!