Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Radiation therapy communication: nasal passage and paranasal sinus lymphoma in a pony.
- Journal:
- Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association
- Year:
- 2010
- Authors:
- Gerard, Mathew et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A senior pony was diagnosed with a type of cancer called B-cell lymphoma, which affected its nasal passages and sinuses. To help manage the pony's condition, the veterinarians used radiation therapy, giving two doses a week apart. After the treatment, the tumor shrank within two months, and the pony stayed healthy for 2.5 years. Although the pony experienced temporary blindness after the second treatment, it wasn't clear if this was directly caused by the radiation. Overall, the treatment successfully improved the pony's quality of life and showed that radiation can be effective for this type of cancer, even when not all of the tumor can be treated.
Abstract
An aged pony with extensive paranasal sinus and nasal passage B-cell lymphoma was treated with palliative radiation therapy. Sixteen gray were administered in two fractions, 7 days apart. A lateral field was used for the first fraction and a dorsal field for the second. Because of tumor being present in the left frontal sinus, gross tumor was knowingly excluded from the treated volume in the lateral field. The tumor regressed within 2 months and the pony remained free of clinical disease for 2.5 years. Acute, temporary blindness developed shortly after the second radiation fraction, but a direct causal relationship with the radiation therapy was not confirmed. The only radiation side effect was leukotrichia. Palliative treatment was successful in improving and prolonging the quality of life. These results suggest that localized equine B-cell lymphoma is radiosensitive, and that palliative radiation therapy is a reasonable consideration for large tumors, even when tumor volume prevents all gross tumor from being irradiated.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20166403/