Soft-tissue sarcomas.

Canine and feline soft-tissue sarcomas are difficult to control with surgery unless aggressive procedures such as compartmental resection or amputation are performed. Additionally, multiple noncurative surgeries result in recurrent tumors that are difficult to control with other modalities. Little is known about the radiation response of soft-tissue sarcomas in animals, but available data suggest they are radioresistant. Various methods of improving radiation response of soft-tissue sarcomas have been evaluated. These include the combination of radiation with radioprotective agents, hyperthermia, and surgery. Of all methods evaluated to date the judicious combination of surgery and radiation seems to hold the most promise for producing permanent local control of a significant percentage of canine and feline sarcomas.