Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Appendicular bone cancer in 56 cats and treatment outcomes
By Marconato, Laura et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2024·Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A retrospective Italian Society of Veterinary Oncology (SIONCOV) study of 56 cats with appendicular osteosarcoma.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 56 cats with a type of bone cancer called appendicular osteosarcoma (most often found in the legs) was studied to understand their treatment outcomes. Most of the cats underwent surgery, and those that did had a much better chance of surviving longer compared to those that did not receive any treatment. Specifically, the cats that had surgery had a 66% survival rate after one year, while those that didn’t had a much lower survival rate of only 25%. The study highlights that while surgery is effective, having metastasis (cancer spread) at diagnosis can negatively affect survival.
People also search for: cat bone cancer treatment · appendicular osteosarcoma in cats · cat surgery survival rates · feline cancer prognosis · cat chemotherapy effectiveness
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant primary bone cancer, but it is infrequently reported in cats. Feline appendicular osteosarcoma typically exhibits good prognosis when treated with surgery alone. A retrospective multi-institutional study was conducted to identify possible prognostic factors. Cats diagnosed with appendicular osteosarcoma were included if initial staging and follow-up information were available. Data including signalment, tumour characteristics, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes were collected and analysed. Fifty-six cats were included; the femur was the most frequently affected bone. Eight cats had distant metastasis at admission and an additional 9 developed metastatic disease during follow-up, resulting in an overall metastatic rate of 30%. Forty-nine (87.5%) cats underwent surgery, and 4 also received adjuvant chemotherapy. Among operated cats, median time to local progression (TTLP), time to distant progression and tumour-specific survival (TSS) were not reached. One- and 2-year survival rates were 66% and 55%, respectively. Seven (12.5%) cats received no treatment; 1- and 2-year survival rates were 25% and 0%, respectively. Operated cats had significantly longer TTLP (P < .001) and TSS (P = .001) compared with non-operated cats. Among operated cats, young age negatively impacted local tumour progression, while the presence of distant metastasis at diagnosis was associated with a higher risk of tumour-related death. This study reaffirms the good prognosis for cats with appendicular osteosarcoma undergoing surgery, but sheds light on some additional factors to consider. Accurate initial staging is recommended, as the metastatic rate may exceed many previous estimations. Surgery substantially extends survival time, whereas the role of chemotherapy remains uncertain.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38327132/