Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Radiation therapy options for dogs with bone cancer in legs
By Coomer, A. et al.·Published in Veterinary and Comparative Oncology·2009·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Radiation therapy for canine appendicular osteosarcoma
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with appendicular osteosarcoma (a type of bone cancer) may experience pain and limping, which can be distressing for pet owners. For dogs where limb amputation isn't an option, radiation therapy can help manage pain and improve quality of life, especially when combined with chemotherapy. While traditional radiation therapy may not be effective for curing the cancer, newer techniques like stereotactic radiosurgery can provide better local control of the disease. With careful planning and administration, side effects from radiation are usually mild and temporary, allowing dogs to feel more comfortable.
People also search for: dog osteosarcoma treatment · radiation therapy for dogs · dog limping pain relief · canine cancer palliative care
Abstract
AbstractRadiation therapy (RT) for the management of canine appendicular osteosarcoma (OSA) can be described as either palliative‐ or curative intent. Palliative RT uses coarsely fractionated external beam RT or radiopharmaceuticals to provide relief of pain and lameness associated with OSA while resulting in minimal, if any, radiation‐induced acute adverse effects. Limb amputation and chemotherapy are considered (together) the standard of care for curative‐intent treatment of canine appendicular OSA. When limb amputation is not possible, RT can be used for limb sparing and is supplemented with chemotherapy for presumed micrometastatic disease. Fractionated tumour irradiation with curative intent appears to be ineffective and local disease control can more likely be achieved when stereotactic radiosurgery or intra‐operative extracorporeal irradiation is combined with strict case selection and adjunctive chemotherapy. The availability of limb‐sparing RT is limited by experience and availability of specialised equipment. When planned and administered appropriately, radiation‐associated adverse effects are often mild and self‐limiting.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5829.2008.00177.x