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- Your veterinary radiation oncologist
should discuss all of the appropriate
medical treatments related to your pet’s
condition. Be concerned if your doctor
refuses to talk about other treatment
options.
- Question advertised treatments that are
not backed by scientific evidence.
- You can always seek a second opinion.
No doctor should discourage you from
getting one. Radiation OncologyEmail: [email protected]
PH 919.513.6690 • FX 919.513.66691052 William Moore Drive • Raleigh, NC 27607
Things You Should Know When Choosing Treatment
At NC State Veterinary Hospital our
mission is to provide animals and
their owners with extraordinary,
compassionate medical care.
Ranked as one of the best veterinary
medicine complexes in the nation, we
are dedicated to providing leadership in
veterinary care, biomedical discovery,
and societal engagement that addresses
complex global issues facing animal,
human, and environmental health.
We are the only veterinary teaching
hospital in North Carolina, and an
integrated health care center for
companion, equine, and farm animals.
Our expert medical team sees over
30,000 patients a year, from all over the
world.
ABOUT NC STATE VETERINARY HOSPITAL
Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT)
Choosing Cancer Treatment:Radiation Oncology
Conventional radiation therapy is typically given
over the course of several weeks, breaking the
total dose up into sessions so that the non-
cancerous tissues and organs surrounding the
cancerous tumor have time to heal.
Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) is different in
that rather than using time to protect the normal
tissues near the cancerous tumor, it protects
them during treatment. SRT uses focused
radiation beams, detailed imaging, computerized
treatment planning, and precise treatment set-up
to deliver the radiation with extreme accuracy (or,
stereotactically). SRT delivers intense radiation
therapy in 1 to 5 high-dose treatment sessions.
Conditions Commonly Treated with SRT
- Oral tumors
- Nasal cancer
- Bone tumors
- Spinal tumors
- Heart-base tumors
- Brain tumors (such as meningioma, glioma,
canine pituitary tumors, and feline acromegaly)
We are beginning to see SRT used more and more
on other types of cancer as well, such as; lung
tumors, liver tumors, adrenal gland tumors, and
metatastic cancer.
Q: Is SRT the best treatment option for my pet?
A: SRT is very successful at treating a variety of
bulky tumors. Unfortunately, it cannot be used to
target microscopic cancerous cells left behind after
surgical treatment.
Q: I’ve heard of Stereotactic RadioSurgery (SRS), is
that the same thing?
A: Stereotactic Radiation Therapy has somewhat
of a name problem, as there are several acronyms
used to describe it. Stereotactic RadioSurgery
generally refers to a single or several stereotactic
radiation treatments of the brain or spine.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) is also
used, which refers to one or several treatments
within the body excluding the brain or spine.
Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) is
another name that refers to stereotactic radiation
therapy, but does not tell you where in the body
treatment is happening.
Q. Do you have CyberKnife, GammaKnife, or
TrueBeam treatments?
A. These are actually all just brand names. Our
particular machine is called a Varian Novalis TX.
Each piece of equipment is engineered differently,
but they all do the same thing - that is, they are all
optimized to deliver high quality SRT.
Your veterinary radiation oncologist will be able to
help you decide whether radiation therapy can play
a role in your pet’s treatment plan, what the goal of
the therapy should be, and which type of radiation
therapy would be the best fit for those goals.
A few things to consider:
- Is there reliable medical evidence supporting the
treatment being offered? Sometimes this is tough
to find for newer treatments, but it’s always worth
asking.
- What are the side effects?
- What is the cost?
- How far must you travel for treatments?
- Have you had the opportunity to ask questions,
and do you feel comfortable with your radiation
oncologist?
About SRT
Choosing the Best Treatment for Your Pet
Frequently Asked Questions
