Treatment of bovine and equine ocular squamous cell carcinoma by radiofrequency hyperthermia.

This research investigated the effectiveness of radiofrequency hyperthermia in treating ocular squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in cattle and horses. The results suggest this method is mostly effective although large tumors and ones that have deeply penetrated the eyelid or conjunctiva could not be recommended for this treatment.

Research Background and Methodology

• The researchers focused on treating ocular squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which is a type of cancer that affects the eyes of both cattle and horses.
• They utilized a treatment method called radiofrequency hyperthermia. This involves heating tissues using radio waves which are known to destroy tumor cells.
• 45 ocular SCC from 17 cattle and 8 horses were involved in the study. These tumors had been clinically and histologically confirmed as SCC.
• Half of these tumors were recurrent, meaning they had been treated before by other treatment modalities like surgery, cryosurgery, radiation or immunotherapy, and had come back.

Study Procedure and Observations

• The affected animals were subjected to the hyperthermia treatment and were later monitored and measured for tumor regression or progress after a period of 4 to 6 weeks and at 8 to 16 weeks.
• A final observation was made for all animals between a period of 2 to 10 months.
• Among the principle findings, complete regression, meaning the cancer being completely eliminated, occurred in 80% of the cases.
• Partial regression, an instance where the tumor size reduces but doesn’t completely disappear, occurred in 16% of cases.

Further Treatment and Conclusions

• Out of 12 tumors that were given a second round of hyperthermic treatment, a full regression was observed in 8 of them.
• The results led the researchers to conclude that hyperthermia is an effective and easily implemented method for treating ocular SCC in cattle and horses.
• However, they note that for larger tumors (with diameters equal to or greater than 5 cm) that have deep eyelid or conjunctival penetration, hyperthermia treatment cannot be recommended due to limited effectiveness.