34th Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Objectives:

The objective of this study is to report the use of tigilanol tiglate (Stelfonat®) for a perineal squamous cell carcinoma that was refractory to previous aggressive attempts of debridement, treatment with cisplatin injection, and electrochemotherapy.

Methods:

The mare was sedated, administered 1.1 mg/kg flunixin meglumine, and a local ring block with mepivacaine hydrochloride was performed. The volume of tigilanol tiglate was calculated as the following: tumor volume [(height cm) x (width cm) x (length cm) x 0.5] x 0.35. Six milligrams were injected into the tumor region using 23-gauge needles in a fanning motion to evenly distribute the drug throughout the tumor tissue. The larger nodular section of tumor was injected along the base of the tumor, approximately 50% of the tumor mass, to conserve volume of tigilanol tiglate utilized. 

Results:

Twenty-four hours following injection, the treated site became markedly inflamed and the tumor quickly developed a large necrotic region. Subsequently the local inflammation decreased, and the tumor stared to shell out from the surrounding healthy tissue. Five days post injection the surrounding tissue began to develop healthy granulation tissue.

Conclusions:

Few cases have been reported using tigilanol tiglate as a treatment for equine skin neoplasias. The necrotizing response of the tumor to injection with tigilanol tiglate was profound, despite not responding to previous therapies, suggesting great promise for future application in cases of equine skin neoplasia.