Cancer therapy in dogs and cats

04november2009
Source: uu.nl
A new successful method for detecting cancer in dogs and cats can possibly also be applied to humans. This was argued by Prof. Kirpensteijn (faculty of Veterinary Science in Utrecht) in his oration last week.
Some tumours in cats and dogs that were treated by the professor with so-called holmium therapy were significantly smaller after one treatment, and other tumours had completely disappeared. In holmium therapy small radio-active globes are brought into the tumour. The tumour is radiated from the inside without afflicting much damage to the surrounding tissues.

The research was performed in close collaboration with a hospital in Utrecht, both with the production of the radioactive globes and with the injection technique. This research is accordance with the ‘one-health-principle’, which states hat veterinary science and medicine should collaborate in the prevention, treatment and care of diseases that occur in various species including man. Tumours that occur in pets are often comparable to tumours in humans and the treatment of tumours in the Faculty of Veterinary Science is comparable to the treatment of tumours in humans. Research, treatment and collaboration in this field are very valuable for both animals and humans.