Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Radiation treatment outcomes for dogs with salivary gland cancer
By Gualtieri, Patricia et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2023·Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canine salivary gland carcinoma treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy: a retrospective case series.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with advanced salivary gland cancer received a special type of radiation therapy called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). All six dogs showed improvement within about a month of starting treatment, with no local tumor regrowth observed. However, half of the dogs developed lung metastases (cancer spread to the lungs) during the study. On average, the dogs lived for about 13 months after treatment, with some living over two years. The side effects were minimal, with only one dog experiencing mouth soreness and another having temporary vision loss.
People also search for: dog salivary gland cancer treatment · SBRT for dogs · dog cancer survival rates · side effects of radiation therapy in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the therapeutic outcomes of dogs with locally advanced salivary gland carcinomas (SGC) following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). METHODS: A single institution retrospective study was conducted of client-owned dogs with macroscopic SGC treated with SBRT. Patient signalment, clinical characteristics, and treatment parameters were recorded. Clinical benefit was determined based on follow-up physical examination and medical history. Progression-free interval (PFI), median survival time (MST), and disease-specific survival (DSS) were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Acute and late toxicity were recorded according to Veterinary Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (VRTOG) criteria. RESULTS: Six patients were included in the study. Tumor origins were mandibular ( = 3), parotid ( = 2), and zygomatic ( = 1) salivary glands. The SBRT prescription was 10 Gy × 3 daily or every other day. All patients (100%) experienced clinical benefit from treatment at a median time of 34 days (range 28-214). No local or regional nodal failure was reported following SBRT. Progressive pulmonary metastatic disease was documented in three dogs (50%). The median PFI was 260 days (range 43-1,014) and the MST was 397 days (range 185-1,014). Median DSS was 636 days (range 185-1,014). Four dogs (66.6%) died of confirmed or suspected metastatic SGC. The reported acute side effects included grade 2 mucositis ( = 1) and vision loss ( = 1). No late side effects were recorded. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that SBRT may provide durable local control for invasive SGC in dogs. Further investigation in a larger cohort of patients is warranted. The incidence of reported acute and late toxicity was low.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37441554/