Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Where and how bone breaks after radiation for dog bone cancer
By Altwal, Johnny et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2023·College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Configuration of pathologic fractures in dogs with osteosarcoma following stereotactic body radiation therapy: A retrospective analysis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 122 dogs with bone cancer (osteosarcoma) received a treatment called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to help save their limbs. Unfortunately, 50 of these dogs ended up with fractures in the treated bones, particularly in the lower leg (distal tibia) and wrist (distal radius). The fractures varied in type, including transverse, oblique, spiral, and comminuted. Understanding where and how these fractures happen can help veterinarians develop better strategies to prevent them in the future.
People also search for: dog osteosarcoma treatment · dog bone cancer radiation therapy · dog limb fracture after radiation
Abstract
For some cases of canine appendicular osteosarcoma (OSA), limb-sparing treatment options are often desired, one of which is stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). A major complication of SBRT is fracture of the irradiated bone at the site of treatment. The present study evaluated 127 appendicular OSA sites in 122 dogs treated with SBRT to identify the most common pathologic fracture locations and configurations. A total of 50 tumours experienced a pathologic fracture, and 38 had imaging sufficient to identify fracture configuration. The distal tibia was more likely to develop a fracture than other sites. Multiple types of fracture configuration (transverse, oblique, spiral and comminuted) were observed. The distal radius was significantly more likely to develop a transverse fracture than other sites. Documentation of fracture location and configuration leads to the identification of the forces contributing to fracture occurrence, since each configuration is a result of different forces acting on each affected bone. Such knowledge is imperative for the development of new approaches to diminish the occurrence of pathologic fractures.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36633386/