Motion-aware radiation therapy sharpens cancer care for dogs
A collaboration between veterinary and human radiation oncology researchers is testing motion aware radiation therapy in dogs with naturally occurring cancers, using respiratory gated cone beam CT to better track how tumors move during breathing. The project brings together Kim Selting, DVM, DACVR (Radiation Oncology), at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Cancer Center at Illinois and Geoffrey Hugo, PhD, at Washington University in St. Louis’ Siteman Cancer Center. According to the Cancer Center at Illinois, the team has now scanned 10 dogs, and algorithms originally trained on human data successfully reconstructed the canine scans. The group presented the work at the 2025 American Association of Physicists in Medicine annual meeting, where it received a Blue-Ribbon Poster Award for Excellence in Research. (myvetcandy.com)
Why it matters: Respiratory motion is a persistent problem in thoracic and upper abdominal radiation planning because tumors can shift with each breath, increasing the risk of geographic miss or unnecessary dose to normal tissue. In veterinary medicine, that challenge has historically been harder to address because four-dimensional imaging tools used in human oncology can be expensive or inaccessible. Researchers at UW–Madison and elsewhere have already been exploring lower-cost motion assessment strategies, such as slow CT, while clinical veterinary radiation programs have expanded use of cone beam CT, adaptive planning, and motion-tracking platforms to tighten margins and reduce exposure to nearby organs. For veterinary professionals, this latest work adds to a broader push toward more precise treatment, fewer long-term complications, and better-informed discussions with pet parents about benefit, risk, and cost. (cancer.illinois.edu)
What to watch: Watch for peer-reviewed publication of the canine imaging data, expansion beyond the initial 10-dog cohort, and signs that these motion-management methods move from research workflows into routine veterinary radiation planning. (cancer.illinois.edu)