Comparative Mathematical Radiotherapy of Some Dog and Human Cancers

Background: Cancer is a serious disease in human and canine species and can be managed using surgical, chemotherapeutic, immunotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic interventions. But for radiotherapy, determination of radiotherapeutic doses for specific cancer treatment is a serious problem both in medical and veterinary oncology. Results: In view of this, a number of formulas used in medical oncology has been adopted and applied for determination of effective radiotherapeutic doses especially for dogs. Findings revealed that the formulas could be used to estimate radiotherapeutic doses for a number of cancer diseases in dogs. More so, factors such as age, sex, type of cancer, location of cancer and biological effective dose should be considered. The most relevant formula is BED = nd [1 + (d)/(α/β)] where BED = biologically equivalent dose; d = dose per fraction; α/β = ratio for tumor (10) and n = number of fractions. Conclusions: Metronomic radiotherapy which may be defined as repetitive exposure of cytotoxic radio-active rays of < 2 Gy at regular and frequent intervals of 10-25 fractions of total 45 Gy may be safer for the treatment of malignancies in dog and human. But BED of 45 60 Gy has cancer control rate of 48 – 67%, and 50% probabilities of complications was caused by radiation rays of 54 Gy. Whereas a dose of > 2Gy in 2 fractions may improve quality of life and reduce chronic pain associated with terminal malignancies.