Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Radiation therapy effects on limb pain in dogs with bone cancer
By Weinstein, Jeff I et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2009·Cheshire Veterinary Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Use of force plate analysis to evaluate the efficacy of external beam radiation to alleviate osteosarcoma pain.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Eighteen dogs with bone cancer (osteosarcoma) that couldn't undergo amputation received a single dose of radiation therapy to help relieve their pain. After treatment, most dogs did not show significant improvement in their ability to move, but nine of them did experience better limb function by day 21. The study found that factors like gender and tumor location influenced how well the dogs responded to the radiation. While the radiation alone didn't reduce limping for everyone, it did help some dogs feel more comfortable and move better.
People also search for: dog osteosarcoma treatment · radiation therapy for dog cancer · why is my dog limping after radiation
Abstract
A standard of therapy for osteosarcoma includes amputation with or without adjuvant chemotherapy. There is a subset of dogs with osteosarcoma that are unsuitable for amputation. We evaluated kinetic variables in dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma treated with a single 8 Gy dose of radiation. Eighteen pet dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma received one 8 Gy fraction of palliative radiation on day 0. Force plate measurements and clinical assessments were made on days 0, 7, 14, and 21. Peak vertical forces (Fz) were recorded for each limb and a symmetric index (SI) was calculated. There were no significant changes in kinetic parameters after one 8 Gy dose of radiation therapy. Nine of these 18 dogs exhibited increased limb function at day 21 based on force plate analysis. Significant factors affecting Fz included gender and tumor location. There was a significant correlation between Fz and response to therapy based on SI at day 21. SI seems to be useful to objectively assess response in this mixed population of dogs. One 8 Gy fraction of radiation therapy alone did not reduce lameness associated with appendicular osteosarcoma, but a subset of dogs did have improved limb function after a single dose.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19999356/