ONCOLOGY

• Nancy Gustafson, DVM, MS, DACVR (Radiation Oncology)

Coordinating the Fight Against Cancer
The Role of the Oncologist

Coordinating the Fight Against Cancer

Most owners' initial consultation for the treatment of cancer in their pet is with an oncologist. An oncologist is a veterinarian who has completed advanced training in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in companion animals in the area of either medical and/or radiation oncology. The oncologist has detailed knowledge of all aspects of the treatment of cancer including chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy and biological therapy. This allows the oncologist to coordinate and supervise your pet’s combination treatment. At the Regional Veterinary Referral Center, Dr. Nancy Gustafson is our Radiation Oncologist.

The oncologist will make recommendations as to the best approach in treating your pet’s condition after performing a thorough exam and learning of your goals. A medical oncologist typically uses chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy to treat a particular tumor. These therapies are frequently combined with surgery and/or radiation therapy in an attempt to eradicate a cancer. At the Regional Veterinary Referral Center, we use a multi-modality approach to fighting cancer, taking advantage of the combined knowledge of all our specialists and the most current treatment modalities available.

Radiation and chemotherapy can conjure up many negative images and most owners fear for their pet's quality of life. Pets in general do better than their human counterparts with both radiation and chemotherapy. This appears to be in part due to many factors such as lower doses of chemotherapy and higher levels of tolerance. Pets ordinarily do not lose hair in the same manner as humans and do not experience the overwhelming nausea or loss of appetite.
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The Role of the Oncologist

The oncologist is an important member of your pet's cancer care team and is usually the manager of the care of a cancer patient. Along with other specialists, the oncologist can use their knowledge to formulate a treatment plan best suited to you and your pet's needs.

Prior to making any treatment decisions a consultation with our oncologist is recommended. Initial visits usually last 1 hour, longer if tests are needed. At that time all treatment options are discussed. Treatment should be instituted as soon as possible, but an immediate decision is not necessary. It is important to take time to consider all factors when selecting a treatment option. The decision to treat and the plan to follow is always your decision.

There are many issues that affect the treatment decision. First of all, there are tumor related factors - these are associated with the specific type of tumor present. Tumor related factors will affect prognosis, the expected outcome and the likelihood of a cure or a long term remission. Examples include tumor size and location.

Secondly, there are patient related factors. The best treatment for a tumor may not be the best treatment for your pet. An aggressive course of treatment may not be desirable if the patient has a concurrent disease (i.e. diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease).

Lastly, owner related factors also play an important role. Your decision as the caretaker of your companion animal is an important one. You must be sure to take into account all factors such as time commitment, emotional turmoil and monetary concerns. There are always many different options for treatment and the role of the oncologist is to help you understand all of those options to reach an informed treatment decision.
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Nancy Gustafson DVM, MS, DACVR (Radiation Oncology)

Dr. Nancy Gustafson is a board certified specialist in Radiation Oncology. She is a 1999 graduate of Colorado State University's (CSU) College of Veterinary Medicine. She then completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Her chosen career in Radiation Oncology led Dr. Gustafson back to academia in 2000 where she pursued advanced training at Colorado State University. In 2003, she completed her residency training program at CSU in Radiation Oncology as well as receiving a Master's degree (Mammalian Radiobiology). In 2004, Dr. Gustafson was an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine while simultaneously spending additional time studying medical oncology. Dr. Gustafson believes that deciding to treat a pet's cancer must be based on the latest medical knowledge and advances as well as compassion, reality and the individual patient. She works closely with each owner in making the most effective, caring and ethical decision in the best interest of each patient and owner.
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