The recent arrival of Dr Rod Straw at the University of Queensland may be good news for human cancer sufferers as well as for his regular patients, cats and dogs.
Dr Straw, the only small animal cancer specialist in Brisbane and one of only two in Australia, has just opened a clinic at the St Lucia campus.
Based in Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, at the School of Veterinary Science, Dr Straw has begun treating dogs and cats from all over Queensland and out of State.
He said researchers studying spontaneous animal disease tended to find a far superior model to a laboratory animal and this enabled them to compile a bank of very valuable information on the human condition.
'I collaborated closely with medical researchers while in America and that's an exciting aspect of my work which I would like to build up here in Brisbane,' said Dr Straw.
Drawing on a career which has included 12 years experience in the United States, where he was the first surgical oncology fellow at Colorado State University, Dr Straw is offering new hope to many family pets.
As honorary reader in veterinary science he is also passing on expert knowledge to the 85 to 90 students who come through the School of Veterinary Science each year and who help with his cases at all stages from early examinations to follow-up care.
Dr Straw gained his veterinary degree in Melbourne and then worked in private practice for three and a half years during which time one of his clients was former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, who had a farm at Nareen.
In 1983 Dr Straw moved to America where he did a residency at the University of Missouri. Three years later he took up a fellowship in oncology at Colorado State University which involved a mixture of teaching, research and practical work, earning him the title of Associate Professor in Oncology.
He brought his family to Brisbane in 1995 and after two more years in private practice he joined the University in November.
'Many studies show that cancer is the leading cause of death among traditional pets, especially dogs,' Dr Straw said.
He said people tended not to treat animals once cancer was diagnosed. It was usually a case of 'test and slaughter', with the cats and dogs simply being put down.
'But cancer in small animals can be cured,' Dr Straw said. 'At present the cure rate is less than 40 percent but I am confident we will be able to push that figure much higher with early detection and appropriate therapy.'
He said the main treatment, after accurate diagnosis, was surgery. This, combined with the use of drugs and radiation therapy, greatly enhanced the prospects for managing and curing cancers.
Surgery and chemotherapy together covered perhaps 80 to 85 percent of the ground while the use of radiation therapy would be the 'icing on the cake' for any treatment.
Dr Straw said he had made much use of radiation in Colorado and he wanted to do the same here. However, that was more of a five to 10-year project because of the funding needed - perhaps as much as $500,000 or more - for a special building and equipment.
However, he believed a radiation unit would be a tremendous asset to the University as a research and clinical tool, and could become at least partly self-funding.
Dr Straw said many vets lacked a thorough understanding of cancer surgery which was generally given only scant attention during the five-year training course.
He also saw a need for improved diagnostic skills among students and vets, while owners too needed to be more aware of changes in their pets and had a part to play in assisting early detection.
He hopes to rectify some of these shortcomings through his work at the University by acting as a consultant to other vets as well as providing a training arena for undergraduates.
'Students will gain exposure to cancer management which is a relatively new concept. They will receive training in this rapidly developing field and learn what can be done to properly manage such conditions.'
Dr Straw said people wanting to protect their pets from cancer should consider early spaying or castration, guard against the effects of sun ... and avoid smoking. Studies had shown dogs in smoking households were more prone to lung cancer.
For further information, contact Dr Rod Straw (telephone 3365 2822).
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