Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Radiation treatment results and side effects for dog adrenal tumors
By Thorsen, Lily et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2026·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Outcome and Toxicity Profile of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Adrenal Tumours in Dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 21 dogs with adrenal tumors, including suspected pheochromocytomas and adenocarcinomas, underwent stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) as a non-invasive treatment option. While the therapy showed some effectiveness, with 43% of dogs experiencing partial improvement and an average survival time of about 16.8 months, it also came with significant risks. Over half of the dogs had serious side effects, particularly gastrointestinal issues, and some even died from complications related to the treatment. This highlights the need for careful consideration of the risks versus benefits when using SBRT for adrenal tumors in dogs.
People also search for: dog adrenal tumor treatment · stereotactic radiation therapy for dogs · side effects of radiation therapy in dogs
Abstract
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has become a non-invasive alternative option for canine adrenal tumours with high surgical risks; however, its clinical benefits and risks are still to be fully understood. The goal of this multi-institutional retrospective study was to describe the clinical outcome and safety of SBRT for the treatment of 21 dogs with adrenal tumours. Ten were suspected pheochromocytomas, two adenocarcinomas, and the diagnosis was unknown in nine dogs. Vascular invasion was present in 81% of cases (17/21). Thirteen dogs received 3 fractions of 6 to 11 Gy, 7 received 5 fractions of 6 to 9 Gy, and 1 received 4 fractions of 6 Gy. For the 20 patients with follow-up imaging, 9 (43%) had partial response, 10 (47%) stable disease, and 1 (5%) progressive disease. Progression-free survival was 16.8 months (95% CI: 3.4-23), and overall survival time was 16.8 months (95% CI: 3.7-23.7). Twelve patients (57%) experienced acute adverse events (AEs); of those, seven were gastrointestinal grade ≥ III, including one grade V. Late AEs were suspected in seven dogs (33%), including gastrointestinal grade V in four of them. A total of five dogs (24%) died from radiation-related toxicities. Although SBRT seems to be effective against adrenal tumours, it was associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate, suggesting that re-evaluation of radiation therapy protocols is necessary for maintaining patient safety.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41410158/