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Efficacy of Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Sialocele in Dogs
V J Poirier1,2, S Mayer-Stankeová, J Buchholz3
1Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Background:
Sialocele is a collection of saliva that has leaked from a damaged salivary gland or duct and is surrounded by granulation tissue. Surgery is the recognized first-line treatment. Recurrence rate after surgery is 5-14%. Salivary gland tissue is very sensitive to radiation therapy (RT).
Hypothesis/Objectives:
Radiation therapy will be useful for the treatment of sialocele. The aims were to characterize response rate and clinical course of dogs with sialocele treated with RT and to determine a starting dose for clinical use.
Animals:
Eleven dogs with sialocele.
Methods:
Retrospective study of response and outcome after RT.
Results:
All dogs had cervical sialocele. Seven dogs (63.6%) were treated with 3 weekly fractions of 4 Gray (Gy); (total dose, 12 Gy). Three dogs (27.3%) received 4 fractions of 4 Gy (16 Gy) and 1 dog received 5 fractions of 4 Gy (20 Gy) on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule. Six dogs (54%) achieved a complete response (CR), and 5 dogs (45%) achieved a partial response (PR). Three dogs had progression of their sialocele 2, 3, and 9 months after RT; all three had received 12 Gy initially and 2 received 2 additional fractions of 4 Gy (cumulative total dose, 20 Gy) and subsequently achieved remission for >2 years.
Conclusions And Clinical Importance:
Radiation therapy is useful for the treatment of recurrent sialocele refractory to surgical management and a minimum total dose of 16 or 20 Gy in 4 Gy fractions appears effective.
