Indications

• As a single treatment modality for malignant tumors which cannot be controlled by surgery.
• Combined with surgery for treatment of bulky tumors: usually postoperative, but possibly pre-operative (neoadjuvant).
• Most effective and least toxic when employed as local treatment when no metastases present.
• Most useful for tumors of extremities, eg oral cavity, nasal cavity and limbs, or intracranial tumors, eg pituitary, but can be successful adjuvant for tumors in other areas of the body.
• Combined with chemotherapy for highly metastatic tumors, but risk of potentiation of side-effects with some drugs Chemotherapy: complications.
  Print off the owner factsheet Cancer treatment - radiotherapy to give to your client.

General principles

Tumor radiosensitivity

Achieving therapeutic gain

Radiation side-effects

Radiation techniques

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Keyerleber M A, McEntee M C, Farrelly J et al (2015) Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy alone or in combination with surgery for treatment of canine intracranial meningiomas. Vet Comp Oncol 13 (4), 385-397 PubMed.
• Mariani C L, Shubert T A, House R A et al (2015) Frameless stereotactic radiosurgery for the treatment of primary intracranial tumours in dogs. Vet Comp Oncol 13 (4), 409-423 PubMed.
• Glasser L A, Charney S, Dervisis N G et al (2014) Use of an image-guided robotic radiosurgery system for the treatment of canine nonlymphomatous nasal tumors. JAAHA 50 (2), 96-104 PubMed.
• Gieger T, Siegel S, Rosen K et al (2013) Reirradiation of Canine Nasal Carcinomas Treated with Coarsely Fractionated Radiation Protocols: 37 Cases. JAVMA 49 (5), 318-324 PubMed.
• Sones E, Smith A, Schleis S et al (2013) Survival times for canine intranasal sarcomas treated with radiation therapy: 86 cases (1996-2011). Vet Radiol Ultrasound 54 (2), 194-201 PubMed.
• Tan-Coleman B, Lyons J, Lewis C et al (2013) Prospective evaluation of a 5 x 4 Gy Prescripton for palliation of canine nasal tumours. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 54 (1), 89-92 PubMed.
• Demetriou M J, Brearley M J, Constantino-Casas F et al (2012) Intentional marginal excision of canine limb soft tissue sarcomas followed by radiotherapy. JSAP 53 (3), 174-181 PubMed.
• Keyerleber M A, Gieger T L, Erb H N et al (2012) Three-dimensional conformal versus non-graphic radiation treatment planning for apocrine gland adenocarcinoma of the anal sac in 18 dogs (2002-2007). Vet Comp Oncol 10 (4), 237-245 PubMed.
• Nolan M W, Kogan L, Griffin L R et al (2012) Intensity-Modulated and Image-Guided Radiation therapy for Treatment Genitourinary Carcinomas in Dogs. JVIM 26 (4), 987-995 PubMed.
• Bommarito D A, Kent M S, Selting K A et al (2011) Reirradiation of recurrent canine nasal tumors. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 52 (2), 207-212 PubMed.
• Lurie D M, Gordon I K, Théon A P et al (2009) Sequential low-dose rate half-body irradiation and chemotherapy for the treatment of canine multicentric lymphoma. JVIM 23 (5), 1064-1070 PubMed.
• Kent M S, Bommarito D, Feldman E et al (2007) Survival, neurologic response and prognostic factors in dogs with pituitary masses treated with radiation therapy and untreated dogs. JVIM 21 (5), 1027-1033 PubMed.
• Poirier V J, Adams W M, Forrest L J et al (2006) Radiation therapy for incompletely excised grade II canine mast cell tumors. JAAHA 42 (6), 430-434 PubMed.
• Bley C R, Sumova A, Roos M et al (2005) Irradiation of Brain Tumors in Dogs with Neurologic Disease. JVIM 19 (6), 849-854 PubMed.
• Ladue T, Klein M K, Veterinary Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (2001) Toxicity criteria of the veterinary radiation therapy oncology group. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 42 (5), 475-476 PubMed.
• Théon A P, Marks S L, Feldman E S et al (2000) Prognostic factors and patterns of treatment failure in dogs with unresectable differentiated thyroid carcinomas treated with megavoltage irradiation. JAVMA 216 (911), 1775-1779 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• LaRue S M & Gordon I K (2013) Radiation Therapy. Chapter 12. In: Small Animal Clinical Oncology.Eds: SJ Withrow, DM Vail & RL Page. 5th Edn. Elsevier, St Louis. pp 180-197.
• Pruitt A F & Thrall D E (2011) Principles of radiation therapy. Chapter 8. In: Manual of Canine and Feline Oncology. Eds: Dobson J M and Lascelles B D X. 3rd Edn. BSAVA Publications, Cheltenham. pp 80-90.
• McEntee M C (2006) Veterinary Radiation Therapy: Review and Current State of the Art. JAAHA 42, 94-109 PubMed.
• Moore A S (2002) Radiation therapy for the Treatment of tumours in Small Companion Animals. Vet J 164, 176-187 PubMed.
• Harris D et al (1997) Radiation therapy toxicities. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 27 (1), 37-46 PubMed.