This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lord, P. F. Articles by Morrow, D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lord, P. F. Articles by Morrow, D.

Increased Skeletal Metastases of Spontaneous Canine Osteosarcoma after Fractionated Systemic Hyperthermia and Local X-Irradiation¹

Departments of Diagnostic Radiology [P. F. L.] and Therapeutic Radiology [D. S. K.], and Section of Comparative Medicine [D. M., P. F. L.], Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510

Seven dogs with spontaneously occurring localized osteogenic sarcoma of an extremity were treated with fractionated systemic hyperthermia and high-dose/fraction local irradiation. Systemic hyperthermia was induced by immersion of the animal in a controlled-temperature water bath, and the temperature was adjusted to maintain the animal's rectal temperature at 42.0–42.5° for 1 hr. This was immediately followed by irradiation of the involved bone at a dose of 600 rads. The treatment was repeated at 5-day intervals for a total of seven fractions.

The primary tumor initially regressed in all cases, but recurred locally in six of seven dogs at 65 to 195 days after initiation of therapy. Five dogs developed bone metastases as the first clinical site of metastatic disease at 56 to 310 days. At necropsy, six dogs had widespread metastases to the bones, lung, and other organs. The early development of bone metastases and the widely disseminated nature of the disease at autopsy suggests a therapy-induced alteration in the course of this spontaneously occurring tumor when compared to treated and untreated historical controls.

¹ This work was supported by Grant CA 06519-18 from the National Cancer Institute; Grant PHS PO 6 RR 00393 from Animal Resources Branch, NIH; and USPHS Grant CA 16359-06 and ACS-IN-31-56 from the American Cancer Society.

² To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received 3/27/81. Accepted 7/21/81.