Veterinary cancer care is one of the fastest growing areas of veterinary
medicine in the UK. In a mirror of human medicine our patients are living
longer and numerically we are seeing an ever increasing number of oncology
cases.
Statistically of 10 year old dogs and 12 year old cats approximately 45% of individuals will have some form of neoplastic disease developing. This may not be clinically significant and it may only ever be known about at necropsy.
The treatment of cancer is very specialised and requires a different outlook and approach from virtually any other aspect of veterinary medicine. The principal aim of veterinary care of the cancer patient must be the quality of life for the patient and the veterinary oncologist must never lose site of this fact.
One of the features of these developments has been the creation of units in many countries which are dedicated to the treatment of cancer in pets.
The Cancer Treatment Unit is a small unit in Whitstable, Kent, England dedicated to the development of cancer care in the companion animal and is patient based. We are not primarily a research unit and do not forget that the patient comes first. The maintenance of a good quality of life for our patients is our prime aim.
We offer advisory services to veterinary surgeons throughout the world
by preparing Case Assessment Reports. Within the UK and now the EU, following
changes in the UK quarantine regulations, we provide direct referral services
for the treatment of the cancer patient. In particular we are developing
techniques of brachytherapy (both mould and insertion techniques) for the
treatment of some forms of cancer in companion animals.