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RADIOTHERAPY
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This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.
You should seek the advice of your
veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the
diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.
Note for Animal Owners QUESTION Can the radiotherapy used to treat my animal with cancer
affect me and my family due to radioactivity ? ANSWER NO. The "radiation" used in this form of
radiotherapy are Xrays which only affect tissues that they are directly aimed
at. XRays are not "radioactive" and are not emitted following
exposure from patients or the environment. However, there are other forms of
treatment for cancer which involve the use of radio-isotopes (e.g. the use of
radio-isotopes of iodine to treat thyroid cancer) and, even though these are
only mildly radioactive, they do require special handling procedures to
prevent exposure to people
Description
The treatment of cancers with X-rays - so called radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, has become an established form of treatment for certain cancers in veterinary medicine just as it has in human medicine. Radiotherapy is often used in conjunction with other forms of treatment including surgical removal, chemotherapy and hyperthermia.
The technique involves bombarding cancerous tissues with X-ray doses that will effectively kill off the cancer cells. One of the disadvantages of this technique is that the high X-ray dose needed can also harm normal healthy tissue with which it comes into contact, so unpleasant side-effects are not uncommon.
For squamous cell carcinoma in the mouth or pharynx of dogs 3000-5000 rad is reported to be effective when given over a 2 week period , unless the cancer has already spread to regional lymph nodes.
Last updated : October 2013
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