Surgical excision is more readily accomplished in cats, as meningiomas in this species tend to be well encapsulated and easily delineated from normal brain. Another type of therapy for brain tumors is radiation therapy. With this type of therapy, the tumor is bombarded with radiation in an attempt to kill the tumor cells without having to perform surgery. As adjunct therapy to surgery, or as a primary therapy for tumors that are difficult to access surgically, radiation therapy has been shown effective for some brain tumor in animals. Radiation therapy is more apt to control tumor progression, however, in some instances, may eradicate the tumor completely.
Animals tend to tolerate radiation therapy well as compared to some people.
As with all therapies, experience is changing dramatically with regard to brain tumors in dogs and cats. You should consult your local veterinarian or a veterinary neurologist or oncologist for information about the latest treatment options. Abstracts for Conference on Brain Tumors in Man and Animals. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, Sept 1984. Clinical signs including papilloedema associated with brain tumors in twenty-one dogs.