Definitive-intent radiotherapy for sinonasal carcinoma in cats: A multicenter retrospective assessment

Vet Comp Oncol. 2020 Dec;18(4):626-633. doi: 10.1111/vco.12583. Epub 2020 Mar 22.

Abstract

Treatment of epithelial sinonasal tumours in cats is not commonly reported. In the newer reports, palliative radiation protocols have been described more often than definitive-intent protocols. In this multi-institutional retrospective study, we included 27 cats treated with single-modality radiotherapy. Cats were irradiated using 10 daily fractions of 4.2 Gy. Three cats (11.1%) experienced a complete clinical response and 17 (63%) had a partial clinical response. Stable clinical disease was noted in three cats (11.1%). Four cats (14.8%) showed progression within 3 months following treatment. The median time to progression for all cases was 269 days (95 % confidence intervals [CI]: 225; 314). The proportion of cats free of progression at 1 and 2 years was 24% (95% CI: 22%; 26%) and 5% (95% CI: 5%; 6%), respectively. None of the prognostic factors evaluated were predictive of outcome (anaemia, tumour volume at the time of staging, modified Adams stage, intracranial involvement, facial deformity, epistaxis, inappetence or weight loss). Median overall survival (OS) for all deaths was 452 days (95% CI: 334; 571). The proportion of cats alive at 1 and 2 years was 57% (95% CI: 37%; 77%) and 27% (95% CI: 25%; 29%), respectively. Surprisingly, cats with epistaxis had a longer median OS of 828 days (95% CI: 356; 1301) compared to 296 days (95% CI: 85; 508) in cats without epistaxis, (P = .04, Breslow). Radiation therapy used as a single modality for the treatment of feline sinonasal carcinoma improved clinical signs and was well tolerated but progression within a year was common.

Keywords: IMRT; adenocarcinoma; cancer; feline; nasal.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinoma / mortality
  • Carcinoma / pathology
  • Carcinoma / radiotherapy
  • Carcinoma / veterinary*
  • Cat Diseases / mortality*
  • Cat Diseases / radiotherapy*
  • Cats
  • Female
  • Male
  • Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / mortality
  • Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / radiotherapy
  • Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / veterinary*
  • Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / mortality
  • Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / pathology
  • Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / veterinary*
  • Portugal / epidemiology
  • Radiotherapy / adverse effects
  • Radiotherapy / methods
  • Radiotherapy / veterinary
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival