{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,5]],"date-time":"2026-09-05T00:36:57Z","timestamp":1788568617239,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,22]],"date-time":"2026-03-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774137600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Lymphoma is the most common neoplastic disease in cats; however, lomustine has been insufficiently evaluated as a first-line chemotherapeutic agent. This study assessed treatment response, survival, and progression-free interval (PFI) in cats with intermediate-to-large cell lymphoma treated with lomustine and prednisolone as first-line therapy. Twenty-eight cats with cytologically or histopathologically confirmed lymphoma received lomustine (10 mg\/cat every 3 weeks) and prednisolone until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. All cats were feline leukemia virus- and feline immunodeficiency virus-negative, with a mean age of 9.93 years; alimentary lymphoma was most common (75%). Treatment responses included complete response (CR, 5\/28), partial response (5\/28), stable disease (11\/28), and progressive disease (7\/28). The median PFI for all cats was 51 days, and the median survival time was not reached during the study period. No significant associations were identified between PFI or survival and age, sex, packed cell volume, drug dosage, tumor size, or tumor location. Cats achieving CR showed significantly prolonged PFI compared with cats with other responses (median, 561 vs. 42 days; p = 0.0004), and overall survival was also significantly longer (p = 0.0009). These findings may serve as a clinically meaningful guide for the use of lomustine and prednisolone in the treatment of feline lymphoma.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani16060989","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]],"date-time":"2026-03-23T13:53:34Z","timestamp":1774274014000},"page":"989","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["A Retrospective Investigation of 28 Cats with Intermediate- to Large-Cell Lymphoma Treated with Lomustine and Prednisolone as a First-Line Chemotherapy"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Hee-Je","family":"Kim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, 1 Kangwondaehak-gil, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"N Animal Hospital Nowon, 408 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01704, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rayoung","family":"Heo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"N Animal Hospital Nowon, 408 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01704, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7213-695X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eun Wha","family":"Choi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, 1 Kangwondaehak-gil, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00434350","article-title":"Clinical pharmacokinetics of oral CCNU (lomustine)","volume":"14","author":"Lee","year":"1985","journal-title":"Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"159","article-title":"Preliminary metabolism of lomustine in dogs and comparative cytotoxicity of lomustine and its major metabolites in canine cells","volume":"1","author":"Chakkath","year":"2014","journal-title":"Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"196","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1939-1676.2001.tb02311.x","article-title":"Phase I evaluation of CCNU (lomustine) in tumor-bearing cats","volume":"15","author":"Rassnick","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Vet. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"694","DOI":"10.1177\/1098612X12448017","article-title":"Evaluation of lomustine as a rescue agent for cats with resistant lymphoma","volume":"14","author":"Dutelle","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Feline Med. Surg."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"357","DOI":"10.5326\/0380357","article-title":"Hematological toxicity and therapeutic efficacy of lomustine in 20 tumor-bearing cats: Critical assessment of a practical dosing regimen","volume":"38","author":"Fan","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Am. Anim. Hosp. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1019","DOI":"10.1111\/vco.12243","article-title":"A retrospective evaluation of lomustine (CeeNU) in 32 treatment-na\u00efve cats with intermediate to large cell gastrointestinal lymphoma (2006\u20132013)","volume":"15","author":"Rau","year":"2017","journal-title":"Vet. Comp. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"807","DOI":"10.1292\/jvms.13-0260","article-title":"Prognostic analyses on anatomical and morphological classification of feline lymphoma","volume":"76","author":"Sato","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Vet. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.1053\/svms.2003.36623","article-title":"Principles of treatment for feline lymphoma","volume":"18","author":"Ettinger","year":"2003","journal-title":"Clin. Tech. Small Anim. Pract."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1111\/jsap.13266","article-title":"Incidence and risk factors for feline lymphoma in UK primary-care practice","volume":"62","author":"Economu","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Small Anim. Pract."},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"329","article-title":"Feline lymphoma in the post-feline leukemia virus era","volume":"19","author":"Louwerens","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Vet. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Ettinger, S., and Feldman, E.L. (2016). Hematopoietic tumors. Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine: Expert Consult, Elsevier. [8th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"264","DOI":"10.1177\/030098589603300302","article-title":"Histologic classification and immunophenotype of lymphosarcomas in cats with naturally and experimentally acquired feline immunodeficiency virus infections","volume":"33","author":"Callanan","year":"1996","journal-title":"Vet. Pathol."},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"196","article-title":"Outcome and toxicity associated with a dose-intensified, maintenance-free CHOP-based chemotherapy protocol in canine lymphoma: 130 cases","volume":"8","author":"Sorenmo","year":"2010","journal-title":"Vet. Comp. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1098612X251335635","DOI":"10.1177\/1098612X251335635","article-title":"Comparison of outcomes in feline intermediate- to large-cell lymphoma treated with CMOP (cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone, vincristine, and prednisolone) instead of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone)","volume":"27","author":"Lai","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Feline Med. Surg."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"807","DOI":"10.1111\/jsap.13772","article-title":"Outcome of treatment with a 10-week COP protocol in cats with intermediate or large cell lymphoma: 27 cases (2014\u20132023)","volume":"65","author":"Larsen","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Small Anim. Pract."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"422","DOI":"10.1111\/vco.12990","article-title":"Use of lomustine and prednisolone as first-line treatment in canine multicentric lymphoma","volume":"22","author":"Catalucci","year":"2024","journal-title":"Vet. Comp. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.25.07.0486","article-title":"The combination of lomustine and corticosteroids is a valid chemotherapeutic option in cats with presumptive central nervous system lymphoma","volume":"264","author":"Pauciulo","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"560","DOI":"10.1177\/1098612X12445146","article-title":"Treatment-related toxicities in tumor-bearing cats treated with temozolomide alone or in combination with doxorubicin: A pilot assessment","volume":"14","author":"Gagnon","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Feline Med. Surg."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1098612X221150174","DOI":"10.1177\/1098612X221150174","article-title":"B-mode ultrasound and colour Doppler findings in cats with gastric lymphoma","volume":"25","author":"Quinci","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Feline Med. Surg."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1111\/vco.12677","article-title":"Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group\u2014Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (VCOG-CTCAE v2) following investigational therapy in dogs and cats","volume":"19","author":"LeBlanc","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vet. Comp. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"174","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.1987.190.02.174","article-title":"Chemotherapy of lymphoma in 75 cats","volume":"190","author":"Jeglum","year":"1987","journal-title":"J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"696","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.1989.194.05.696","article-title":"Treatment and prognostic factors in lymphoma in cats: 103 cases (1977\u20131981)","volume":"194","author":"Mooney","year":"1989","journal-title":"J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"349","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1939-1676.1998.tb02134.x","article-title":"Feline lymphoma (145 cases): Proliferation indices, cluster of differentiation 3 immunoreactivity, and their association with prognosis in 90 cats","volume":"12","author":"Vail","year":"1998","journal-title":"J. Vet. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"447","DOI":"10.1002\/1097-0142(196603)19:3<447::AID-CNCR2820190320>3.0.CO;2-S","article-title":"Feline lymphoma: A comparison with the Burkitt tumor of children","volume":"19","author":"Squire","year":"1966","journal-title":"Cancer"},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"38","article-title":"An overview of feline cancer therapy","volume":"10","author":"Ladiges","year":"1980","journal-title":"Feline Pract."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1939-1676.2002.tb02352.x","article-title":"Chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisolone (COP) in cats with malignant lymphoma: New results with an old protocol","volume":"16","author":"Teske","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Vet. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1104","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.242.8.1104","article-title":"Lymphoma in cats treated with a weekly cyclophosphamide-, vincristine-, and prednisone-based protocol: 114 cases (1998\u20132008)","volume":"242","author":"Waite","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"136","DOI":"10.1111\/vco.12158","article-title":"Treatment of feline intermediate- to high-grade lymphoma with a modified University of Wisconsin\u2013Madison protocol: 119 cases (2004\u20132012)","volume":"14","author":"Collette","year":"2016","journal-title":"Vet. Comp. Oncol."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/6\/989\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]],"date-time":"2026-03-23T14:10:35Z","timestamp":1774275035000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/6\/989"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,22]]},"references-count":28,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]}},"alternative-id":["ani16060989"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani16060989","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,22]]}}}