166Ho therapy for unresectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in companion animals

Abstract

Squamous cell carcinomas in the head and neck region is a disease with a poor prognosis especially in feline patients. Due to the location aggressive surgical resection isn’t possible. Between 2009 and 2012 brachytherapy using 166HoMS was used to treat nine cats and two dogs with an unresectable squamous cell carcinoma in the head or neck region. The dose that was injected depended on the volume of the tumor. One cat was still alive and in complete remission at data analysis closure ( 173 days post therapy). The overall survival time of the other patients varied from 6 to 452 days with a mean of 204 days.