Karina,
I saw a couple of treatments for Hypereosinophilic Syndrome. One is
etoposide. The other is Interferon alpha.
Below is the link to the study on etoposide. It sounds promising.
It is given by pill. the p[ills seem rather expensive from a quick
froogle search($6.30) a pill, but the dose is one pill/day for an
adult human then tapered to 1/2 a day. Much less is needed for
cats. If there is no other treatment/hope, I would be tempted to try
this.
I 'm sorry you and Hobbes are going through this. It seems to be a
winter of despair for this group. I hope things get better soon for
everyone.
I am keeping you and Hobbes in my prayers and thoughts.
Kim
http://www.apfed.org/downloads/Hypereosinophilic%20Syndrome%202005.pdf
Oral etoposide (100 mg/d for 10 days, then 50 mg every other day) was
added to the steroids. Clinical and biological variables dramatically
improved. The prednisone dose was tapered to 0.3 mg/kg per day. After
3 months, the patient was asymptomatic, and his eosinophil counts
were less than 350 cells/mm3.
Etoposide (VP16-213) is a podophyllotoxin derivative used in both
myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative disorders. A long-term
response to etoposide has previously been reported in one case of
steroid-resistant hypereosinophilic syndrome [2]. Because low-dose
oral etoposide might be efficient in patients with interferon-
resistant hypereosinophilic syndrome, we suggest that it be tested as
a second-line agent in refractory idiopathic hypereosinophilic
syndrome.
--- In feline_lymphoma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, VenusInReverse@xxxx wrote:
>
>
> hi everyone
>
>
> i have been back in touch with Tufts and they have performed the
lung x-ray,
> and it revealed everything was normal except for what they
determine to be a
> very old problem called "Consolidated Lung".. this basically means
that he
> has an opaque section of lung which was most likely caused by some
sort of
> trauma years ago...
>
> they also found that his sternum is at an "abnormal angle" and he
has two
> vertebrae which are in an "abnormal position to one another". she
said this too
> points to some sort of trauma to the area.
>
> the thing that has me most upset about these findings [even though
they have
> little to do with what is causing his present problems] is that he
was
> declawed as a kitten, by his previous owner and it is doubtful that
he was ever an
> outdoor cat, so it is unlikely that the trauma came from something
like
> being hit by a car when he was younger.
>
>
> i can't help but wonder if poor Hobbes wasn't abused by his
previous owner,
> or her son.. i remember that the reason the owner gave for giving
him up
> [which was posted on his cage at the shelter] as "Owner's son is
sick", and that
> never made sense as to why she couldn't keep her cats..
>
> now that statement takes on a much more sinister term for me, and
has had me
> in tears all afternoon.
>
>
>
>
> but aside from all that, the very worse news is that she is pretty
sure he
> has Eosinophilic Leukemia or Hypereosinophilic Syndrome, neither
of which have
> treatment or a cure.. i asked if there was another form of chemo
he could
> take to help him, but she said no.
>
> they have taken him off Leukeran and Prednisone for the time being,
which i
> imagine will just hasten his decline.
>
>
> i really wish he weren't in such a bad state and could at least get
the MRI,
> but as i understand it, that is not an option.
>
> they are going to do a repeat Ultrasound tomorrow to see if they
find any
> evidence that there was ever lymphoma, but since he has been on the
Leukeran and
> Prednisone for so long, she even doubts if they will be able to
tell.
>
> she said the diagnosis of EL and HS could only be arrived at by
performing a
> bone marrow biopsy, but if there is nothing they can do to help
him, is this
> even worth putting him through?
>
> if there is no cure for what he has, then what hope does he have?
>
> this is all so sad, and i am completely broken hearted!
>
> please continue to pray for miracles, because every once in a
while, i still
> believe they happen.
>
> karina and her precious Hobbes.
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
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