The Use of Radiation Therapy in Exotic Cancer Patients

摘要

Radiation therapy for dogs and cats has become a standard treatment modality in modern veterinary cancer centers. While significant data about the use of radiation therapy in veterinary medicine continue to accumulate, clinical data regarding the useof this treatment modality in exotic patients are sparse. This is in direct contrast to the pattern of clinical presentations seen in our exotic patients, where cancers of different origins are common clinical findings. While surgery and chemotherapy arecommonly used therapeutic modalities and can provide significant relief and sometimes a cure, in some patients these two modalities are not appropriate for various reasons, such as their systemic effects or their effects against the cancer itself. Radiation therapy offers an alternative treatment path and has the potential to play a significant role in the management of neoplas-tic disease in exotic patients, in addition to the more conventional therapeutic modalities. This article will briefly discuss some of the important points regarding radiation therapy for treatment of cancer in an exotic patient.