Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Early brain side effects in dogs after daily 6 Gy radiation for brain
By Elliott, James·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2025·Southfields Veterinary Specialists, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Early-Delayed Radiotoxicity Associated With Stereotactic Radiation Therapy Following a Daily 6 Gy × 5 (30 Gy) Protocol for Presumed Canine Intracranial Meningiomas.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Twenty dogs with brain tumors called meningiomas were treated with a specific type of radiation therapy. After the treatment, the dogs were monitored for any worsening of their neurological symptoms, like confusion or new signs of illness. Fortunately, none of the dogs showed immediate side effects from the radiation, and any potential delayed effects were manageable with medication. This suggests that the radiation treatment was safe and effective, but more research is needed to understand any long-term effects.
People also search for: dog brain tumor treatment · canine meningioma symptoms · radiation therapy side effects in dogs
Abstract
Early-delayed side effects (EDSEs) following treatment of canine intracranial meningiomas with 1-3-fraction stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT) can cause worsening neurologic signs, and one potential method of mitigating this toxicity is reducing the dose per fraction. Twenty dogs with imaging-diagnosed intracranial meningiomas and telephone follow-up of at least 6 months received a protocol of 6 Gy × 5, daily (30 Gy). A 'possible EDSE' was defined as mental dullness, neurologic exacerbation of existing neurologic signs or new neurologic signs occurring within 1-4 months of completing SRT, regardless of the response to steroids and even if an MRI was not performed. A 'probable EDSE' was defined as mental dullness, neurologic exacerbation of existing neurologic signs or new neurologic signs occurring within 1-4 months of completing SRT. These signs were either reversible with the initiation or increased doses of prednisolone, or follow-up MRI revealed no evidence of an alternate explanation. No dogs experienced acute radiotoxicity or clinical signs compatible with EDSEs. The protocol appears to result in limited acute radiotoxicity, and further evaluation of the frequency of long-term toxicities and relative efficacy should be undertaken.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39828659/