West Islip, NY, Sept. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advanced radiation therapy for pets with cancer will soon be available in Long Island, New York following the announcement of a new collaboration between PetCure Oncology and the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island (VMCLI) on Tuesday.
The new service is already accepting referrals from local veterinarians with an opening date less than two weeks away on October 5. Those interested in more information or the advice of a board-certified veterinary radiation oncologist can call 833-PET-HERO, a toll-free number dedicated to supporting pets with cancer and the families who love them.
Located in central Long Island in West Islip, VMCLI is the island’s leading veterinary specialty practice and 24/7 emergency center. The addition of radiation oncology, combined with VMCLI’s current oncology offerings, provides pet owners in Long Island with access to comprehensive cancer care all under one roof at VMCLI - a first for the island.
“We are really proud to bring this level of cancer care to pets in Long Island,” said Dr. Robert Composto, DVM, Co-Founder and Director of VMCLI. “We are committed to both learning and providing cutting-edge veterinary medicine. Adding radiation oncology and partnering with PetCure keeps VMCLI at the forefront of cancer treatment for pets.”
The program will be overseen by Dr. Rick Chetney, a New York native and one of nine board-certified radiation oncologists in the PetCure Oncology national network.
PetCure Oncology is a national brand that develops and manages radiation therapy centers featuring stereotactic radiation (SRS/SRT), the most advanced form of radiation therapy available. Already a proven care option for human cancer patients, SRS/SRT has become increasingly common in the treatment of pets with cancer. PetCure Oncology has supported this process by increasing access to SRS/SRT for pet owners, facilitating innovative clinical trials, and sharing data and research results from over 4,000 treatments to improve the impact of this therapy on survival times and quality of life.
At the most recent meeting of the Veterinary Cancer Society, PetCure Chief Medical Officer Dr. Neal Mauldin presented preliminary outcomes data that suggested SRS/SRT delivered with PetCure-developed treatment protocols is leading to better survival outcomes than other treatment options for at least nine specific tumor types. The list includes some of the most common types of pet cancer, most notably brain tumors, nasal tumors, osteosarcoma, mast cell tumors and melanoma.
“It’s great news that so many of our pets are still alive and thriving, so the data is still maturing,” explained Dr. Mauldin, whose board certifications include radiation oncology, medical oncology and internal medicine. “But objective analysis of the preliminary data at this point suggests that stereotactic radiation can be considered a standard of care for the treatment of many tumor types - much like it already is in human cancer treatment.”
About PetCure Oncology: PetCure Oncology LLC is a marketing and management services company affiliated with PetCure Radiation Oncology Specialists (PROS), a veterinary healthcare provider with nine board-certified radiation oncologists that have treated more than 4,000 pets with cancer since 2015. Supporting eight treatment centers across the country and counting, PetCure also facilitates innovative telehealth services for both veterinarians and pet owners. For more information, contact a PetCure Pet Advocate at 833-PET-HERO.
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