>ATTN: Dr. Williams
>Do they or can they use radiation treatment with Ferrets?  I have read
>several conflicting statements on this.  Also, what is the "best"
>protocol for chemotherapy, in your opinion?
 
http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1423922&messageid=15
 
Unfortunately, radiation generally is of little effect on lymphoma.
Radiation is a directed beam of energy which is focused on a particular
site (usually a tumor) to kill the tumor cells.  However, for neoplasms
like lymphomas, which generally arise in multiple sites or organs, it is
not a good mode of treatment.
 
I truly do not have a favorite mode of chemotherapy, as most work very
poorly in true cases of lymphoma (I suspect that many cases which have
shown "success" probably were not lymphoma at all.  Most protocols contain
a combination of cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone, and may
have other chemotherapeutic agents as well.  The combination protocols
have the best success, but that is usually only around 10%.
 
Often it is not what any one vet likes, but what your vet can use with
safety and surety.
 
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
[Posted in FML issue 3837]