Evaluation of radiotherapy alone or in combination with doxorubicin chemotherapy for the treatment of cats with incompletely excised soft tissue sarcomas: 71 cases (1989-1999).

Objective: To determine whether the addition of doxorubicin chemotherapy affected the outcome of cats with incompletely excised, nonvisceral soft tissue sarcomas undergoing postoperative radiotherapy.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 71 cats.

Hematologic changes associated with half-body irradiation in dogs with lymphoma.

Background: Reports describe the technique and efficacy of half-body irradiation (HBI) of dogs with lymphoma, but few describe the distinctive toxicoses associated with the combination of HBI and chemotherapy.

Hypothesis: HBI would transiently affect myelocytic and erythroid variables as assessed by serial analysis of complete blood counts.

Animals: Twenty-nine dogs with lymphoma treated with HBI during 2002 and 2003.

Efficacy of radiation therapy for incompletely resected grade-III mast cell tumors in dogs: 31 cases (1987-1998).

Objective: To determine the efficacy (durations of remission and survival) of an alternating-day radiation protocol for incompletely excised histologic grade-III solitary mast cell tumors (MCTs) in dogs.

Design: Retrospective study.

Animals: 31 dogs.

Treatment of dogs with oral melanoma by hypofractionated radiation therapy and platinum-based chemotherapy (1987-1997).

This retrospective study in 39 dogs with incompletely resected oral melanoma examined the efficacy of hypofractionated radiation therapy and platinum-containing chemotherapy. All dogs were completely staged, with the majority of dogs classified as stage 1. Dogs received 6 weekly fractions of 6-gray (Gy) megavoltage irradiation with a cobalt-60 unit or a 4-MeV (megaelectron volts) linear accelerator.

Effects of plasmid-mediated growth hormone-releasing hormone in severely debilitated dogs with cancer.

Cachexia is a common manifestation of late stage malignancy and is characterized by anemia, anorexia, muscle wasting, loss of adipose tissue, and fatigue. Although cachexia is disabling and can diminish the life expectancy of cancer patients, there are still no effective therapies for this condition. We have examined the feasibility of using a myogenic plasmid to express growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) in severely debilitated companion dogs with naturally occurring tumors.