Cobalt 60 radiotherapy for treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses in three horses.

This research explores the use of cobalt 60 radiotherapy to aggressively treat squamous cell carcinoma (a type of cancer) in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses of three horses, finding promising long-term results that exceed typical surgical outcomes.

Study Overview

• The study subjects were three adult horses diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. This is an uncommon occurrence, and usually, the prognosis for long-term survival is poor.
• Historically, horses with this type of cancer either went untreated or underwent some form of surgery. The research, however, introduced cobalt 60 radiotherapy as a form of treatment.

Radiotherapy Treatment

• The horses underwent aggressive course-fractionated cobalt 60 radiotherapy treatment. In this type of treatment, cobalt 60, a radioactive isotope, is employed to kill the cancer cells. The treatment is course-fractionated, meaning it is divided into fractions or doses over time.
• The goal of the treatment was to offer an effective alternative to surgery and to improve the prognosis for horses with this rare type of cancer.

Results and Conclusion

• The findings from the study were promising, showing good to excellent long-term results from the cobalt 60 radiotherapy treatment. The outcomes were seen to exceed those typically seen in horses treated surgically for the same type of neoplasm.
• Given the success of the treatment in these cases, the study recommends the use of radiotherapy for such neoplasms in horses.