Volume 8, Number 1 — Spring/Summer 2011 - The University of ...

Radiation Therapy at UTVeterinary Medical CenterOffers Cancer-Stricken Petsa Beam of Hope12Dr. Nathan Lee with the high-energy linearaccelerator that delivers radiation treatmentto tumors in seconds rather than minutes.Phil SnowIt’s the “C” word, cancer, andin pets, its incidence increaseswith age. Cancer accounts for almosthalf of the deaths of pets over 10 yearsof age, and according to the MorrisAnimal Foundation, 1 in 4 dogs willdie of cancer. While cats get fewercancers, dogs get cancer at about thesame rate as humans.In veterinary medicine, three primaryoptions exist to treat cancer: chemotherapy,radiation and surgery. Dependingon the type of cancer and itslocation, a combination of the threemay be used to treat the animal.Radiation therapy is a critical componentin the arsenal to fight cancer,and the UT Veterinary Medical Centeris the only program in Tennesseethat offers radiation therapy as well asthe only program on the East Coast tooffer radioactive iodine I-131 treatmentfor thyroid carcinomas in catsand dogs.The goal of radiation therapy is toprovide effective treatment whilemaintaining quality of life for thepatient and family. In some instances,radiation therapy can shrink a tumor,making it easier for surgeons toremove. In other cases, radiation therapycan shrink inoperable tumors,reducing their effects on the body. Dr.Nathan Lee, a UT Veterinary MedicalCenter radiation oncologist, isseeing more clients who are lookingfor palliative treatment for their pets.“Sometimes when we are unable tocure or slow the progression of thecancer, we want to be able to concentrateon reducing the pain the cancercauses,” says Lee. He and fellow radiationoncologist Dr. Bill Adams usethe veterinary medical center’s linearaccelerator to deliver doses of radiationtherapy. “In most cases, we cansignificantly improve the quality oflife of our patients by eliminating orreducing pain and inflammation withradiation therapy.”Radiation therapy is customized toeach patient. Using a CT scan of thetumor area, UT’s radiation oncologistsanalyze the exact size, shapeand location of the tumor. Using thisinformation, a 3D image of the tumoris created to aid in designing anindividualized treatment plan wheresmall radiation beams are configuredto mimic that particular tumor’s irregularshape. This technology allowsthe doctors to treat the entire tumorand spare the surrounding normaltissues. With the high-energy linearaccelerator, radiation treatment timeis a matter of seconds rather thanminutes, reducing the amount of timea patient is under anesthesia.Lee adds, “Our clients are grateful tohave access to this service. Our clientswant to give their pets every opportunitythey can to live a happy, pain-freelife, and we strive to take away asmuch stress as possible for them.”–Sandra Harbison