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Advances in Radiotherapy
& Nuclear Medicine Integrating pet nutrition with radiotherapy and nuclear medicine

cells while minimizing systemic toxicity. 23,24 Nutritional and clinical advancements. 33,34 Longitudinal studies are
interventions tailored to the unique metabolic requirements needed to assess the effects of customized nutritional
of pets undergoing targeted radionuclide therapies play a interventions on treatment outcomes, side effects,
crucial role in enhancing treatment efficacy, minimizing and long-term survival in veterinary cancer patients
radiation-induced toxicity, and promoting overall well- undergoing targeted radionuclide therapies. Moreover,
being. High-quality, nutrient-dense diets rich in protein clarifying the underlying mechanisms of how nutrition
and essential nutrients support tissue repair mechanisms, reacts with targeted radionuclide therapies could provide
enhance immune function, and mitigate treatment- insights for developing individualized nutrition plans and
25
related side effects, thereby optimizing treatment tolerance additional treatments to enhance treatment efficacy and
and improving patient outcomes. 12 improve patient results.
2.1.3. Optimizing treatment efficacy and minimizing Overall, incorporating nutritional considerations into
toxicity nuclear medicine protocols holds significant potential to
To achieve maximum treatment effectiveness and minimize enhance treatment results, reduce toxicity, and improve
17
harmful side effects, as shown in Table 3, it is crucial the overall well-being of veterinary cancer patients.
to thoroughly understand the metabolic connections Veterinarians can increase the accuracy of nuclear imaging
between nutrition and radiation therapy while optimizing investigations and the effectiveness of targeted radionuclide
nutritional support. 31,32 Proactive steps to manage therapy in pets using pre-imaging dietary regimens and
29
treatment-induced side effects – such as dietary changes, customized nutritional interventions. To progress in the
hydration therapy, and supportive care – can help reduce area of veterinary oncology and enhance patient care, it is
negative effects, improve patient comfort, and enhance crucial to conduct further research, promote education,
treatment compliance. Despite notable advancements in and foster interdisciplinary collaboration to effectively
incorporating nutrition into nuclear medicine treatments utilize the combined benefits of nutrition and nuclear
for pets, several areas still require further investigation medicine.

Table 2. Integration of pet nutrition with radiotherapy and nuclear medicine and its synergistic impact on cancer management in
veterinary oncology
Aspect of cancer management Synergistic effect Supporting research studies
Treatment efficacy Optimal nutrition supports immune function and tissue repair, enhancing the Smith et al. 26
effectiveness of radiotherapy and targeted radionuclide therapies Johnson et al. 9
Treatment tolerance Nutritional interventions mitigate treatment-related side effects, such as Brown et al. 2
anorexia and radiation-induced toxicity, improving patient tolerance to therapy Garcia et al. 6
Quality of life Tailored nutritional support promotes overall well-being during treatment, White et al. 27
reducing morbidity, and enhancing patient comfort Martinez et al. 28
Disease monitoring Pre-imaging dietary protocols optimize radiotracer uptake, improving the Jones et al. 10
accuracy and diagnostic utility of nuclear imaging studies Lee et al. 29
Long-term outcomes Enhanced treatment efficacy and patient well-being contribute to improved Clark et al. 5
long-term survival outcomes and quality of life Patel et al. 30

Table 3. Effectiveness of nutritional interventions in veterinary oncology
Nutritional intervention Effectiveness in veterinary oncology Supporting research studies
High-protein diet Supports tissue repair, immune function, and minimizes Smith et al. 26
treatment-related toxicities Johnson et al. 9
Antioxidant supplementation Mitigates radiation-induced oxidative stress and tissue damage Brown et al. 2
Garcia et al. 6
Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation Reduces inflammation and enhances treatment tolerance White et al. 27
Martinez et al. 28
Pre-imaging dietary protocols Optimizes radiotracer uptake and improves diagnostic accuracy Jones et al. 10
Lee et al. 29
Personalized nutrition counseling Creates dietary recommendations to individual patient needs and Clark et al. 5
improves treatment adherence Patel et al. 30

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2024) 5 doi: 10.36922/arnm.3522