FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Outcome of external beam radiotherapy for treatment of noncu...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2020; 34(6); 2808-2816; doi: 10.1111/jvim.15954

Outcome of external beam radiotherapy for treatment of noncutaneous tumors of the head in horses: 32 cases (1999-2015).

Abstract: The long-term outcomes of external beam radiotherapy for treatment of noncutaneous tumors of the head in horses is unknown. Objective: To report the long-term outcomes for treatment of noncutaneous tumors of the head of horses, and report short and long-term clinical adverse effects. Methods: Thirty-two horses treated in 2 referral hospitals. Methods: In this retrospective study, medical records of horses receiving radiation therapy for noncutaneous tumors between 1999 and 2015 were reviewed. Signalment, tumor type, treatment protocol, tumor control duration, and survival were recorded. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated for overall survival (OS), by tumor type and location, and compared using Log-rank tests, and treatment protocol adherence. Results: Follow-up ranged from 2 to 145 months (median 14 months). Of 32 horses, 16 (50%) were alive at the time of reporting, with complete tumor response occurring in 12 (38%). Horses with tumors of the maxilla/nasal cavity had significantly shorter median OS compared to horses with tumors in other locations (21 months vs 145 months) (P = .06). Adverse effects resulting from the tumor or the therapy occurred in 20/32 (63%). The occurrence of major adverse effects and delays in treatment protocol were not significantly associated with median survival estimates. Conclusions: External beam radiotherapy can be used to treat a variety of noncutaneous tumors of the head of horses. Adverse effects related to radiotherapy or the tumor are common.
© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2020-11-09 PubMed ID: 33165966PubMed Central: PMC7694842DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15954Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Case Reports

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research investigated the use of external beam radiotherapy to treat noncutaneous tumors in the heads of horses. The results showed that this treatment method could result in complete tumor response, but also had a substantial rate of adverse effects.

Methodology

  • The study was retrospective, meaning it relied on data collected from past cases, specifically between 1999 and 2015.
  • It involved a total of 32 horses which were treated in 2 referral hospitals.
  • The researchers reviewed medical records, noting details such as the signalment of the horses, tumor types, treatment protocols used, duration of tumor control, and overall survival of the horses after treatment.
  • Kaplan-Meier survival curves got generated to determine the overall survival rate, differentiating these statistics by tumor types, location, and adherence to the treatment protocol.

Results

  • The follow-up period varied widely, from a short 2 months to a long 145 months, with a median duration of 14 months.
  • At the time of reporting, half of the horses (16 out of 32) were alive and 12 of all the horses (38%) showed a complete response to the tumor after treatment.
  • The survival rate differed depending on the tumor location. Horses with tumors in the maxilla/nasal cavity had a significantly shorter median overall survival rate (21 months) as compared to those with tumors in other head locations (145 months).
  • Adverse effects, either due to the tumor itself or resulting from the therapy, were prevalent, occurring in about 63% (20 out of 32) of the horses.
  • The occurrence of major adverse effects and delays in the treatment protocol didn’t exhibit a significant association with median survival rates.

Conclusions

  • The results suggest that external beam radiotherapy can be effectively used to treat various kinds of noncutaneous head tumors in horses, even though adverse effects related to radiotherapy or the tumor itself were common.

Cite This Article

APA
Gillen A, Mudge M, Caldwell F, Munsterman A, Hanson R, Brawner W, Almond G, Green E, Stephens J, Walz J. (2020). Outcome of external beam radiotherapy for treatment of noncutaneous tumors of the head in horses: 32 cases (1999-2015). J Vet Intern Med, 34(6), 2808-2816. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15954

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 34
Issue: 6
Pages: 2808-2816

Researcher Affiliations

Gillen, Alex
  • Department Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.
Mudge, Margaret
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Caldwell, Fred
  • Department Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.
Munsterman, Amelia
  • Department Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Hanson, Reid
  • Department Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.
Brawner, William
  • Department Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.
Almond, Gregory
  • Department Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.
Green, Eric
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Stephens, Julie
  • Center for Biostatistics, Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Walz, Jillian
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / radiotherapy
  • Horses
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome

Grant Funding

  • UL1TR001070 / NCATS NIH HHS
  • UL1TR001070 / NCATS NIH HHS

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

This article includes 36 references
  1. Head KW, Dixon PM. Equine nasal and paranasal sinus tumours. Part 1: review of the literature and tumour classification.. Vet J 1999 May;157(3):261-78.
    pubmed: 10328838doi: 10.1053/tvjl.1998.0370google scholar: lookup
  2. Dixon PM, Head KW. Equine nasal and paranasal sinus tumours: part 2: a contribution of 28 case reports.. Vet J 1999 May;157(3):279-94.
    pubmed: 10328839doi: 10.1053/tvjl.1999.0371google scholar: lookup
  3. Tremaine WH, Dixon PM. A long-term study of 277 cases of equine sinonasal disease. Part 2: treatments and results of treatments.. Equine Vet J 2001 May;33(3):283-9.
    pubmed: 11352351doi: 10.2746/042516401776249787google scholar: lookup
  4. Carmalt JL, Linn KA. Large segmental mandibulectomy for treatment of an undifferentiated sarcoma in a horse.. Vet Surg 2013 May;42(4):433-9.
    pubmed: 23432182doi: 10.1111/j.1532-950x.2013.01086.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  5. Gieger TL, Nolan MW. Linac-based stereotactic radiation therapy for canine non-lymphomatous nasal tumours: 29 cases (2013-2016).. Vet Comp Oncol 2018 Mar;16(1):E68-E75.
    pubmed: 28741887doi: 10.1111/vco.12334google scholar: lookup
  6. Fujiwara A, Kobayashi T, Kazato Y, Yayoshi N, Fujita M. Efficacy of hypofractionated radiotherapy for nasal tumours in 38 dogs (2005-2008).. J Small Anim Pract 2013 Feb;54(2):80-6.
    pubmed: 23373834doi: 10.1111/jsap.12024google scholar: lookup
  7. Walker MA, Schumacher J, Schmitz DG, McMullen WC, Ruoff WW, Crabill MR, Hawkins JF, Hogan PM, McClure SR, Vacek JR, Edwards JF, Helman RG, Frelier PF. Cobalt 60 radiotherapy for treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses in three horses.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1998 Mar 15;212(6):848-51.
    pubmed: 9530425
  8. Orsini JA, Baird DK, Ruggles AJ. Radiotherapy of a recurrent ossifying fibroma in the paranasal sinuses of a horse.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2004 May 1;224(9):1483-6, 1454.
    pubmed: 15124891doi: 10.2460/javma.2004.224.1483google scholar: lookup
  9. Robbins SC, Arighi M, Ottewell G. The use of megavoltage radiation to treat juvenile mandibular ossifying fibroma in a horse.. Can Vet J 1996 Nov;37(11):683-4.
    pmc: PMC1576516pubmed: 8939336
  10. Blackwood L, Dobson JM. Radiotherapy in the horse. Equine Vet Educ 1994;6:95‐99.
  11. Wilson CM, Schreiber DP, Russell JD, Hitchcock P. Electron beam versus photon beam radiation therapy for the treatment of orbital lymphoid tumors.. Med Dosim 1992 Fall;17(3):161-5.
    pubmed: 1388683doi: 10.1016/0958-3947(92)90035-egoogle scholar: lookup
  12. Henson FMD, Dobson JM. Use of radiation therapy in the treatment of equine neoplasia. Equine Vet Educ 2004;16:315‐318.
  13. Knottenbelt DC, Snalune K, Patterson Kane J. Bone and dental region neoplasms. Clinical Equine Oncology. 1st ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier; 2015:312‐314.
  14. Koch E, Pack L, Zwicker LA, Lopez‐Mendez C, Aburto EM. Osteosaroma of the proximal humerus in a mare. Equine Vet Educ 2014;26:410‐415.
  15. Galloway A, Lana S, Thamm D, Boss K. Outcome and Metastatic Behavior of Canine Sinonasal Osteosarcoma (2005-2015).. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2020 Mar Apr;56(2):98-105.
    pubmed: 31961217doi: 10.5326/jaaha-ms-6972google scholar: lookup
  16. Théon AP. Radiation therapy in the horse.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 1998 Dec;14(3):673-88, viii.
    pubmed: 9891730doi: 10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30192-xgoogle scholar: lookup
  17. Elce YA, Wilkie DA, Santschi EM. Metastasis or delayed local extension of ocular squamous cell carcinoma in four horses. Equine Vet Educ 2011;23:469‐499.
  18. Henson FMD, Dixon K, Dobson JM. treatment of 4 cases of equine lymphoma with megavoltage radiation. Equine Vet Educ 2004;16:312‐314.
  19. Robbins SC, Arighi M, Ottewell G. The use of megavoltage radiation to treat juvenile mandibular ossifying fibroma in a horse.. Can Vet J 1996 Nov;37(11):683-4.
    pmc: PMC1576516pubmed: 8939336
  20. Coumbe KM. Primary parotid lymphoma in a 10 year old Hanovarian gelding. Equine Vet Educ 1994;6:91‐94.
  21. Meleo KA. The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of lymphoma and thymoma.. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 1997 Jan;27(1):115-29.
    pubmed: 9002171doi: 10.1016/s0195-5616(97)50010-6google scholar: lookup
  22. LaDue TA, Dodge R, Page RL, Price GS, Hauck ML, Thrall DE. Factors influencing survival after radiotherapy of nasal tumors in 130 dogs.. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 1999 May-Jun;40(3):312-7.
    pubmed: 10519313doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.1999.tb00367.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  23. Traub-Dargatz JL, Dargatz DA. A retrospective study of vein thrombosis in horses treated with intravenous fluids in a veterinary teaching hospital.. J Vet Intern Med 1994 Jul-Aug;8(4):264-6.
    pubmed: 7983621doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1994.tb03230.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  24. Valverde A, Black B, Cribb NC, Hathway A, Daw A. Assessment of unassisted recovery from repeated general isoflurane anesthesia in horses following post-anesthetic administration of xylazine or acepromazine or a combination of xylazine and ketamine.. Vet Anaesth Analg 2013 Jan;40(1):3-12.
    pubmed: 23016627doi: 10.1111/j.1467-2995.2012.00782.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  25. Platt JP, Simon BT, Coleman M, Martinez EA, Lepiz MA, Watts AE. The effects of multiple anaesthetic episodes on equine recovery quality.. Equine Vet J 2018 Jan;50(1):111-116.
    pubmed: 28772349doi: 10.1111/evj.12728google scholar: lookup
  26. Young SS, Taylor PM. Factors influencing the outcome of equine anaesthesia: a review of 1,314 cases.. Equine Vet J 1993 Mar;25(2):147-51.
    pubmed: 8467775doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02926.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  27. Farrelly J, McEntee MC. Principles and applications of radiation therapy.. Clin Tech Small Anim Pract 2003 May;18(2):82-7.
    pubmed: 12831066doi: 10.1053/svms.2003.36620google scholar: lookup
  28. Lalla RV, Saunders DP, Peterson DE. Chemotherapy or radiation-induced oral mucositis.. Dent Clin North Am 2014 Apr;58(2):341-9.
    pubmed: 24655526doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2013.12.005google scholar: lookup
  29. Nagaraja S, Kadam SA, Selvaraj K, Ahmed I, Javarappa R. Trismus in head and neck cancer patients treated by telecobalt and effect of early rehabilitation measures.. J Cancer Res Ther 2016 Apr-Jun;12(2):685-8.
    pubmed: 27461633doi: 10.4103/0973-1482.176181google scholar: lookup
  30. Gillette EL, McChesney SL, Dewhirst MW, Scott RJ. Response of canine oral carcinomas to heat and radiation.. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1987 Dec;13(12):1861-7.
    pubmed: 3679925doi: 10.1016/0360-3016(87)90353-1google scholar: lookup
  31. Bush JM, Fredrickson RL, Ehrhart EJ. Equine osteosarcoma: a series of 8 cases.. Vet Pathol 2007 Mar;44(2):247-9.
    pubmed: 17317809doi: 10.1354/vp.44-2-247google scholar: lookup
  32. Carmalt JL, Linn KA. Large segmental mandibulectomy for treatment of an undifferentiated sarcoma in a horse.. Vet Surg 2013 May;42(4):433-9.
    pubmed: 23432182doi: 10.1111/j.1532-950x.2013.01086.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  33. Mendez-Angulo JL, Tatarniuk DM, Ruiz I, Ernst N. Extensive rostral mandibulectomy for treatment of ameloblastoma in a horse.. Vet Surg 2014 Feb;43(2):222-6.
    pubmed: 24392727doi: 10.1111/j.1532-950x.2014.12110.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  34. Ogden NKE, Jukic CC, Zedler ST. Management of an extensive equine juvenile ossifying fibroma by rostral mandibulectomy and reconstruction of the mandibular symphysis using String of Pearls plates with cortical and cancellous bone autografts.. Vet Surg 2019 Jan;48(1):105-111.
    pubmed: 30370537doi: 10.1111/vsu.12943google scholar: lookup
  35. Davies O, Spencer S, Necova S, Holmes E, Taylor A, Blackwood L, Lara-Garcia A. Intranasal melanoma treated with radiation therapy in three dogs.. Vet Q 2017 Dec;37(1):274-281.
    pubmed: 28982291doi: 10.1080/01652176.2017.1387828google scholar: lookup
  36. González Ferreira JA, Jaén Olasolo J, Azinovic I, Jeremic B. Effect of radiotherapy delay in overall treatment time on local control and survival in head and neck cancer: Review of the literature.. Rep Pract Oncol Radiother 2015 Sep-Oct;20(5):328-39.
    pmc: PMC4597087pubmed: 26549990doi: 10.1016/j.rpor.2015.05.010google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 0 times.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.