Oncology Resident Receives Research Award
Dr. Rachel Hanford, a third-year resident in medical oncology received the Edward L. Gillette Memorial Award for Outstanding Research Poster Presentation, presented recently at the annual Veterinary Cancer Society Conference.
Her research, “Prophylactic metronidazole reduces clinically relevant diarrhea in dogs receiving doxorubicin chemotherapy: a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study” addresses a highly common side effect of canine cancer treatment. Doxorubicin (a standard chemotherapy drug) frequently causes chemotherapy-induced diarrhea (CID), which impairs a dog’s quality of life and can delay vital cancer treatments.
Dr. Hanford’s study concluded that prophylactic (preventative) metronidazole was associated with a reduced need for rescue therapy for clinically relevant CID in dogs undergoing doxorubicin treatment. By introducing metronidazole proactively before the onset of clinical signs, the research demonstrated a measurable reduction in severe gastrointestinal complications.
The research was funded by a grant from the Center for Companion Animal Health, a small animal research center at the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine.
The award was established in memory of Dr. Edward L. Gillette, DVM, PhD, a pioneering figure in the fields of veterinary and comparative radiation oncology.
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