Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Radiation therapy results for cats with oral cancer 1999-2005
By Sabhlok, Aarti & Ayl, Rodney·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2014·PETS Referral Center·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Palliative radiation therapy outcomes for cats with oral squamous cell carcinoma (1999-2005).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with oral squamous cell carcinoma (a type of cancer) received palliative radiation therapy to help manage their symptoms. Out of 54 cats treated, most completed the therapy, which involved multiple sessions over several weeks. The average survival time for these cats was about 127 days, with many owners noticing an improvement in their pets' quality of life during treatment. Cats that received only radiation lived longer on average than those who also had chemotherapy. This suggests that radiation therapy can be beneficial for cats with this type of cancer when surgery isn't an option.
People also search for: cat oral cancer treatment · palliative radiation therapy for cats · squamous cell carcinoma in cats survival time
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounts for approximately 10% of all feline tumors. The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe outcomes for a group of cats with oral SCC that were treated with palliative radiation therapy. Fifty-four cats met the inclusion criteria of nonresectable, oral SCC treated with coarse fractionated megavoltage (MeV) radiation therapy. Radiation therapy for all cats was delivered with a 6 MeV linear accelerator. Total radiation doses of 24 Gray to 40 Gray were administered in three to four fractions, once-per-week over 4 to 5 weeks. Concurrent chemotherapy protocols varied and were administered at the discretion of the clinician and client. Forty-nine patients completed the planned treatment protocols. Overall mean and median survival times for cats completing the planned treatment protocols were 127 and 92 days (n = 49). Mean and median survival times of cats receiving palliative radiation therapy alone were 157 and 113 days (n = 12). Mean and median survival times of patients receiving both radiation therapy and chemotherapy were 116 and 80 days (n = 37). Patients with sublingual tumors had a median survival time of 135 days (n = 15), compared to mandibular tumors that had a median survival time of 80 days (n = 26). For the majority of patients that completed the planned treatment protocol (65%), owners reported a subjectively improved quality of life. Findings from this uncontrolled study supported the use of palliative radiation therapy for cats with nonresectable oral squamous cell carcinoma.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24766180/