Lattice Radiation Therapy’s Effect on the Immune Response in Canine Sinonasal Carcinoma

Patient Disease:

Canine Sinonasal Carcinoma

Study Name:

Purpose of the study:

To look at the differences in the tumor’s immune response during and after treatment as well as the clinical response with lattice radiation therapy (LRT) compared to our standard SBRT protocol in dogs with sinonasal carcinoma

Primary Eligibility Criteria:

Dogs with a confirmed diagnosis of sinonasal carcinoma
Good function of liver and kidneys, acceptable blood cell counts, and free of severe underlying disease
No evidence of metastatic disease or extension of the tumor into the brain
No prior chemotherapy and no prior radiation to the tumor
No current treatment with immune-modulating drugs
Dogs will undergo a CT scan to confirm eligibility and for radiation planning purposes

Study Protocol:

Blood and tumor (via nasal flush) samples will be collected prior to, at the end of, and two weeks and 3 and 6 months after radiation therapy
All dogs will receive 3 daily treatments with lattice radiation therapy; this protocol differs from SBRT in that instead of administering a uniform high dose of radiation throughout the tumor, several small spheres of high dose radiation are administered within the tumor and the rest of the tumor receives a lower dose of radiation
Two weeks following the last treatment of radiotherapy, dogs will return to the hospital for a nasal flush and tumor biopsy
Three, 6, 12, and 18 months after completion of LRT, dogs will return for blood work, urinalysis, and CT scan to evaluate tumor response to treatment

Owner Responsibilities:

Follow appointment schedule required by study protocol
Payment of the costs of the CT scan that is used for radiation planning (~$1700) as well as all other costs associated with the radiation treatment (medications, medical boarding, e-collars, tear production testing, etc.), any other tests recommended, as well as in the case of adverse events unrelated to the study

Financial Incentives:

All costs related to radiation planning/therapy will be covered by the clinical trial (standard planning/therapy costs for this radiotherapy protocol are approximately $5000-6000)
Owners will not be charged for the additional diagnostic tests or sampling that are associated with this trial (blood work, nasal flush, tumor biopsy, additional anesthesia time) as these will be covered through the funding of the study
All costs related to the 3, 6, 12, & 18 month post-LRT visits (including exam fee, blood work, urinalysis, and CT scan) are paid for by the study
In the case of adverse events directly related to study procedures (i.e. nasal tumor biopsy), the study will cover the costs of supportive care

If you have further questions about any of our clinical trials, please submit an online consult form. Your consult will then be directed to our trials team. Requests are typically returned within 5 business days.