A new VetPartners animal cancer care centre is giving Sydney pet owners access to advanced radiation therapy, a treatment until recently found only in human hospitals.
ONE Cancer Care for Pets in Concord is one of the first dedicated veterinary cancer facilities in Australia, led by the country’s most experienced radiation oncology team.
The centre is also among the first to house an on-site linear accelerator with stereotactic capabilities, a state-of-the-art machine designed to deliver highly precise radiation doses.
ONE Cancer Care Radiation Oncologist Dr David Lurie said the latest generation of linear accelerators is enabling the treatment of tumours once considered untreatable.
“We can now treat tumours in areas we wouldn’t have contemplated before, including those in delicate locations like the liver, lungs, adrenal glands and bladder,” he said.
“The precision we can achieve lets us target tumours closely while sparing nearby organs, something that simply wasn’t possible in the past.
“We’re also able to deliver fewer treatments, at lower cost, with fewer side effects – and as good or superior patient outcomes.”
A team approach
One of the new centre’s key strengths is its inclusion in the Oncology Network for Excellence (ONE), a group of leading veterinary oncologists working collaboratively with each other and the wider veterinary community to advance cancer care.
“When I first started out, I was very much a one-man band,” Dr Lurie said. “Now I work with highly experienced professionals at every stage of the planning and treatment process.
“The ONE network takes this a step further by recognising the importance of collaboration – not just among oncology specialists, but also with primary care vets, research institutions, and our colleagues in human health.
“By building national and international collaborations, our network helps keep us at the forefront of research and technology. Just as importantly, we’re committed to giving back by publishing our findings and training the next generation of oncologists.”
Next-gen imaging
The Concord centre is already planning its next innovation with the introduction of functional imaging with PET-CT, an advanced scanning technology that reveals not only the size and location of tumours, but also their metabolic activity.
“This will be one of the first times PET-CT imaging is used routinely in veterinary care in Australia,” Dr Lurie said.
“It allows us to see not just where a tumour is, but how biologically active it is, and to adjust our approach accordingly. This technology promises to further personalise treatment and improve outcomes for our patients.”
ONE Cancer Care Radiation Oncologist Dr David Lurie (left) with Dr Rod Straw
A patient being treated with the Elekta Versa HD linear accelerator at ONE Cancer Care in Concord
