Treatment of MRI-Diagnosed Trigeminal Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors by Stereotactic Radiotherapy in Dogs.
BACKGROUND
Stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) is an emerging technique for treating tumors in animals.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the outcome of dogs with suspected intracranial trigeminal nerve peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNST) treated with SRT.


METHODS
Eight dogs with presumptive PNST.


METHODS
This was a retrospective study of dogs identified by searching UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital medical records for dogs treated with SRT for a presumed PNST. Presumptive diagnosis was based on magnetic resonance imaging. SRT was delivered in 3 dose fractions of 8 Gray (Gy) on consecutive days or every other day to a total dose of 24 Gy.


RESULTS
Median disease-specific survival was 745 days (range: 99-1375 days, n = 6). No signs of acute adverse effects of radiation treatment were recorded. Late radiation effects versus tumor progression could not be confirmed histopathologically because of few animals undergoing necropsy.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides preliminary evidence that dogs with PNST benefit from SRT in terms of long-term survival. The treatment appears to be well tolerated and requires fewer anesthetic events for animals compared to full-course radiation.
Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA.
K S
KS
Hansen
Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA.
A L
AL
Zwingenberger
Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA.
A P
AP
Théon
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.
I
I
Pfeiffer
Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA.
M S
MS
Kent
D000818:Animals; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020433:Trigeminal Nerve Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*
Radiation; Stereotactic radiosurgery; Stereotactic radiotherapy; Trigeminal; Veterinary