Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common oral malignant tumor in dogs. They are locally invasive and often recurrent. They invade the bone rapidly and sometimes cannot be removed by surgery.

Trametinib is an oral medication approved by the FDA for use in certain types of cancer in humans and has been previously found to be safe in dogs under experimental conditions. We have found that some dogs with oral squamous cell carcinomas respond very favorably to the drug, while others do not. This is an expanded study to learn more about why some of these cancers respond well so we can target therapy most effectively.

Eligibility: Dogs seen by the Cornell University Hospital for Animals (CUHA) who have been diagnosed with an oral squamous cell carcinoma are eligible.

Compensation: All visits and procedures directly related to and during the study will be performed entirely free of charge to you. The drug will also be provided to you free of charge. Additionally, if your dog completes the study, the study will cover an additional $1000 worth of medical expenses related to standard of care therapy for your dog's SCC.

Owner Responsibilities: We will ask you to bring your dog to the CUHA for follow up appointments on or around days 14, 42, 70, 108, and 126 after enrollment. On days 14, 42, 70 and 108 we will conduct a physical and oral examination under light sedation. On day 126, we will do a physical exam and perform a full-body CT scan under general anesthesia to document response to treatment, obtain a tumor tissue sample and perform a fine-needle aspirate of the mandibular (under the jaw) lymph nodes for microscopic and genetic analyses. 

You are also committing to sharing clinical information by means of a short questionnaire to be completed at each visit, or by attending a short weekly phone call to allow us to closely monitor and document any side effects.

Finally, you are committing to give the medicine by mouth once daily. This medication is considered chemotherapy and safety instructions will be relayed to you. We will also ask you to complete a brief questionnaire about your dog's health once a week (either over the phone or in person at the visits).

Principal Investigator: Santiago Peralta, DVM, AVDC, FF-AVDC-OMFS

Contact/Schedule an Appointment: If you have a dog you think may be eligible please call either the dentistry service or the oncology service or the clinical trials coordinator at 607.253.3060, or email vet-research@cornell.edu

Sponsor: This clinical trial is sponsored by the Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center