Comparison of Survival After Treatment of Intracranial Meningioma in Dogs: Radiotherapy vs. Surgery

A recent study compared the survival outcomes of dogs with suspected intracranial meningiomas treated with either radiotherapy or surgery. Intracranial meningiomas, a type of brain tumor, are commonly diagnosed in dogs, but the best treatment approach—surgery or radiotherapy—has been unclear.

The study involved 285 dogs diagnosed with intracranial meningiomas across 11 specialty clinics in three countries. Data from these cases were retrospectively analyzed to assess the survival duration following treatment. The dogs were grouped into two cohorts: 168 dogs treated with radiotherapy and 117 treated with surgery. The location and size of the tumors were recorded, but neither was found to influence survival outcomes.

Results showed that dogs treated with surgery had significantly shorter survival times compared to those treated with radiotherapy. The median survival for surgery was 297 days, while radiotherapy extended median survival to 696 days. The analysis revealed a 29% decrease in survival for surgical treatment compared to radiotherapy, with a univariable hazard ratio of 1.802, indicating a substantially higher risk of earlier death for dogs undergoing surgery. Additionally, counterfactual modeling estimated mean survival to be 480 days for surgery and 673 days for radiotherapy.

This study emphasizes that radiotherapy provides significantly better survival outcomes for dogs with suspected intracranial meningiomas compared to surgical intervention. These findings could influence treatment decisions for dogs diagnosed with this type of brain tumor, with radiotherapy being the preferred option for improved longevity.