Veterinary Radiation Oncology and Therapy at UIUC – Opportunities for Translational Study as well as Compassionate Care of Companion Animals
Abstract: Radiation therapy is used in the treatment of more than half of all people with cancer. While its primary role is to target local disease for improved tumor control, recent observations and investigations have highlighted the possible systemic benefits to augmenting the immune response against cancer following local radiation therapy. Radiation can also be used to shift the population of inflammatory and immune effector cells to treat benign disease such as chronic inflammation (ex. arthritis) or immune-mediated disease. Companion animals, primarily dogs and cats, offer a unique opportunity for cancer research. Pets share our environment, are genetically diverse, are immunologically intact, and develop spontaneously-occurring cancer that mimics same or similar cancers in people. In addition, their naturally accelerated aging process allows clinical research to be completed years sooner than similar investigations in people. In 2019, the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine invested in a high end linear accelerator (Varian TrueBeam) with the goal of developing a robust radiation therapy program both to serve the needs of companion animals as well as contribute to cutting edge cancer research. Capabilities include stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic ablative/body radiotherapy, respiratory gating during planning and treatment for motion management, and a versatile array of photon and electron energies. In addition, our program houses a strontium applicator for superficial, small lesions. Current research efforts include stereotactic ablative/body radiation therapy to treat lung tumors as well as biomarkers of primary and metastatic lung cancer, radioimmunotherapy, and radiation therapy of oligometastatic disease.
Bio: A native of Colorado, Dr. Kim Selting completed her undergraduate and veterinary studies at Colorado State University (CSU). Following a one year rotating small animal internship in medicine and surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, she spent 4 years in private practice in St. Louis, MO. She then returned to the CSU Animal Cancer Center for a residency to become board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in the specialty of medical Oncology. Dr. Selting then joined the faculty at the University of Missouri from 2002-2017. In 2013, she completed a non-conforming residency in Radiation Oncology and achieved board certification by the American College of Veterinary Radiology. In July 2017, Dr. Selting accepted a position as Associate Professor at the University of Illinois to develop a radiation therapy program. Current research interests include biomarkers of cancer and of chemotherapy toxicity, novel anticancer drugs, and effects of radiation on the tumor microenvironment. Dr. Selting is the immediate Past President of the Veterinary Cancer Society (VCS), the past President of the Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group and past member-at-large for VCS, and past Chair of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Oncology Certifying Examination Committee. Dr. Selting currently serves as a Member-At-Large for the American College of Veterinary Radiology (Radiation Oncology subspecialty, ACVR-RO) and on the examination committee for ACVR-RO.
