Dr. Lyons Leads ACCC’s Second Summer Webinar
ACCC’s Jarred Lyons, DVM, Board-Certified in Radiation Oncology, presented “Bone Tumors: Surgery Is Not Feasible or Desired, So What’s Next?” at the second session of the summer webinar series for veterinarians, “How to Navigate Through the Cancer Diagnosis.”
To view the full presentation, click HERE. (Scroll down to “View Our Past Webinars”).
His detailed overview of the types of bone cancers typically found in dogs included state-of-the-art treatment protocols, current research reports, and insights into his own experience treating animals with cancer over the past nearly two decades in both California and Florida.
The most common bone cancer is osteosarcoma, which occurs in about 85% of malignant bone tumors. Most commonly it is seen in older dogs, with a median age of 7 years. Large dog breeds, such as St. Bernard, Great Dane, Irish Setter, Doberman, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, and Rottweiler, seem to have a predisposition for bone cancers.
He outlined the various types of bone and soft tissue cancers most often detected in these dogs and explained the benefit of radiation therapy, most specifically Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) or Stereotactic Body Therapy (SBRT). This therapy is used when a more well-defined tumor is present and can be administered in fewer sessions, often one to three within a one-week timeframe. ACCC’s high-tech on-site Varian Linear Accelerator, which allows the use of multiple X-ray beam angles, enables our doctors to deliver radiation doses with extreme accuracy. Side effects are rare and often absent.
Dr. Lyons explained that he often prefers to try radiation therapy before electing amputation. “I’m not comfortable using amputation as a first option because we have the technology to try other treatments first,” he explained.
He described ACCC’s linear accelerator as sophisticated enough to target tumors to the millimeter. He also stressed the importance of stopping all supplements during radiation treatment, as they often interfere with the cellular reaction of radiation. “Although I’m a firm believer in integrative medicine, supplements during radiation hinder the effects of the treatment,” he said.
In preparation of radiation treatment, Dr. Lyons reviewed the expert steps he and his team take. During the diagnosis phase if a thoracic radiograph is taken, for example, he has a radiologist review the films. He also often recommends an ultrasound just to be safe and make sure no other internal tumors are present. He often handles aspirations if the tumor is large enough but defers to ACCC’s surgeons to handle biopsies when needed. Prior to radiosurgery, Dr. Lyons works with his in-house physicist and radiation technician to create a 3-D computer-generated model to help ensure precision.
If palliative care is the elected approach, he says that radiation can produce amazing results, often surprisingly extending the pet’s life span as well as quality of life. Whatever path is chosen, however, Dr. Lyon stressed the importance of managing expectations with pet owners and supporting their individual decisions.
Although radiation therapy can be costly, Dr. Lyons said that ACCC’s patient-first philosophy and in-house capabilities enable the fees to be comparable to those of a university animal hospital and more affordable to many pet owners. For more information about radiation and other cancer treatments, visit https://animalcancercareclinic.com/care/.
