Now open! Clinical trial for dogs with Osteosarcoma
We are very excited to offer to the veterinary community (and patients) the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial assessing a unique form of radiotherapy to manage appendicular osteosarcoma.
Dr Abigail Brough, Small Animal Medicine Registrar, will assist with this trial’s medical aspects.
About the opportunity
Dr Stuart Ryan (Southpaws) and Dr Arthur House (Peninsula Vet Emergency and Referral Hospital) have spent the last three years collaborating with the nuclear physicists and medical radiation therapists from Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) at the Australian Synchrotron to establish a pilot study to assess the efficacy of Synchrotron radiation in the management of osteosarcoma.
Synchrotron radiation differs from standard linear accelerator radiation due to its ability to accelerate electrons to velocities that effectively produce light a million times brighter than the sun.
Clinical trial details
Prior to entering the trial, all dogs will have tumour staging performed, which will involve serum biochemistry, haematology, cytology or histopathology of the mass and CT of the mass (limb), thorax and abdomen.
The costs of the tumour staging will be at the owner’s expense.
Once enrolled in the study, the dog will have CT imaging treatment planning, microbeam radiotherapy (Synchrotron radiotherapy) and an initial dose of chemotherapy (carboplatin). Follow-up CT will be performed ten days after radiotherapy. These therapies will be performed at the Australian Synchrotron at no charge to the owner.
Eligibility
For dogs to be eligible for the trial, they must be >20kg and be suitable for general anaesthesia, imaging, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery.
Contact
Vets, please contact Dr Arthur House via arthur@penvetreferral.com.au if you have a patient that may be a good candidate.
