Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Factors affecting survival in dogs with thyroid cancer
By Chamseddine, Ibrahim et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2025·Department of Radiation Oncology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prognostic Role of Patient, Tumour and Radiomic Factors Influencing Outcomes in Dogs With Thyroid Cancer Treated With Iodine-131.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 32 dogs with thyroid cancer received radioactive iodine therapy (I-131) to treat their condition. The study found that higher doses of the treatment improved the chances of a positive response, while factors like the stage of the cancer and the dog's clinical signs also played a role in how well they did. Dogs that had a better ratio of tumor to salivary gland dose uptake tended to survive longer. These findings suggest that adjusting treatment doses based on individual factors could lead to better outcomes for dogs with thyroid cancer.
People also search for: dog thyroid cancer treatment · radioactive iodine for dogs · dog cancer survival rate
Abstract
Radioactive iodine therapy (I-131) is widely used in both human and veterinary medicine for treating thyroid cancer, utilising the common biological behaviour of thyroid tissues. Recognising the need to better understand the prognostic factors affecting heterogeneous treatment outcomes, this retrospective study analysed 32 dogs with thyroid carcinoma treated at the University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center. The study examined variables such as patient demographics, tumour characteristics, and first-order radiomic features. Purposeful feature selection was employed to identify both significant and confounding factors, with a focus on treatment response and survival time. Specific administered activity (SAA) emerged as a significant predictor of treatment response, with higher SAA levels improving odds of response (p value = 0.02, OR = 10.28), while clinical signs and nodal stage (N-stage) were identified as significant confounders. Moreover, metastasis stage (M-stage) (p < 0.01, OR = 0.35) and tumour-to-salivary gland dose uptake ratio (TSGR) significantly affected survival time (p = 0.02, OR = 1.57), with TSGR displaying a notable nonlinear effect. These results underline the importance of refined patient stratification and highlight the potential for personalised dose adjustments to enhance outcomes in canine thyroid cancer.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40467525/