Bette Davis is getting ready to start radiation therapy for her Nerve Sheath Tumor at the state's vet school on April 19 for 20 treatments. I read a few websites and collected this information. Various websites repeated the same information but the majority of the below is from the websites links at the bottom.
"Early side effects are usually observed within two weeks after starting radiation therapy and can continue up until one month after the treatment has begun. These effects are usually inflammatory, with areas such as the skin and mucous membranes most commonly affected. Redness, irritation, and ulceration of the treated surface can develop (moist desquamation). Your veterinary oncologist will discuss the side effects that your pet may experience.
For patients who live years following treatment, tumor formation secondary to radiation is possible. In order to be considered a radiation-induced tumor, it must be within (or very close to) the radiation field treated, is not a recurrence of the treated tumor, and is occurring at least 6 months after radiation, but usually longer. Radiation-induced tumors in veterinary medicine are extremely rare.
Redness to the skin can occur around the second week of treatment. This is followed by ulceration of the skin surface, known as moist desquamation. This is irritating to your pet, and most animals will try to lick and scratch at the area. It is VERY important to prevent self-trauma with an Elizabethan collar (E-collar) as this increases the risk of delayed healing and infection. The skin reactions will get worse through the end of radiation therapy and may be most severe AFTER radiation therapy is completed. In some animals, skin effects do not begin to develop until radiation therapy is done. The skin will heal in the 2‑4 weeks after the effects are at their worst if there are no complications (infection, steroid usage, and certain systemic diseases). The skin may continue to be thinner or thicker than normal, and the skin pigment may be darker or lighter than normal.
Consult with your oncologist before applying ANY topical treatments to radiation sites. If side effects are severe or markedly painful, your radiation oncologist may prescribe a specific topical agent to be administered at home, or may recommend recheck exams and side effect treatment while you’re pet is anesthetized.
Late effects to the brain and spinal cord are rarely seen prior to 6 months after the completion of treatment, but can occur years later. Depending on the portion of the spinal cord treated, the patient may have decreased ability to move the hind or front limbs or may even become completely paralyzed.
A portion of the colon, rectum and bladder are often in the treatment field when treating tumors near the pelvis. The lining of these organs is made up of rapidly dividing cells similar to the skin and oral cavity. Irritation of the colon (colitis) may develop near the end of the second week of treatment and may continue for 2-4 weeks after radiation is completed. You may see diarrhea which may contain mucous and/or small amounts of fresh blood. Your pet may defecate small amounts more frequently. Some patients have intermittent colitis long term. Inflammation of the bladder (cystitis) can also occur and follows the same timeline. Clinical signs of cystitis are straining to urinate, blood in the urine, or increased urgency to urinate (asking to go outside many times during the day or accidents inside the house). Your clinician may recommend medication or dietary changes to help alleviate the problem.
Any diarrhea seen immediately following the start of radiation therapy (within 1-3 days) is not related to radiation, but rather to stress from hospitalization. This colitis is treated with oral medication in most cases and may resolve during the course of therapy as the patient becomes accustomed to the radiation routine. If anxiety and stress are persistent, this diarrhea may not completely resolve until therapy is completed.
Late side effects are rare but can develop in these areas as well. They occur many months after radiation and are related to scar tissue formation. Scar tissue in the colon may not be a problem if only a section of the colon or rectal wall is involved. If scar tissue forms circumferentially around the colon, this could result in a stricture, resulting in difficulty passing stools. Urinary strictures secondary to scar tissue formation as also possible, which could results in long-term straining to urinate. If the scar tissue completely obstructs the flow of urine, this is an emergency. There are sometimes procedures that can be performed to alleviate a rectal stricture (“ballooning” or stent placement). Stents can be placed in the urethra to reestablish urine flow, however this usually makes the patient incontinent. Fistula formation (holes forming in the walls of the colon, rectum or urethra) secondary to radiation are exceedingly rare, but, when they do occur, are life-threatening.
Examples of late radiation side effects include muscle fibrosis, skin fibrosis, bone necrosis (cell death) and subsequent fracture. Radiation induced secondary cancers have been reported years after a radiation therapy course - this is also a very rare sequelae of radiation.
Ports-Most complications associated with SVAPs are mild and easily managed, and consist mainly of soreness and swelling around the incisions for a few days.
**Many cats recover from paralysis with proper treatment as nerves regenerate slowly. However, a full recovery will depend on the health of the nerve; some nerve injuries will get better in a few months, while others may need surgical reattachment. At home, you can apply heat and gently massage your cat’s affected limb while the nerve is regenerating. These actions can help your cat relax while reducing pain and discomfort."
Some links:
Animal Center and Imaging Center
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