Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with adrenal cancer treated long-term by removing metastases only
By Frankot, Jennifer L et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2012·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Adrenocortical carcinoma in a dog with incomplete excision managed long-term with metastasectomy alone.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old bichon frise was brought in for increased thirst and urination, along with weakness in the back legs. Tests showed a mass on the left adrenal gland, and surgery was performed to remove it, but the cancer was not completely excised. Despite this, the dog's symptoms improved after surgery. Two years later, the dog developed new issues related to the liver, which required additional surgery to remove affected liver tissue. Remarkably, the dog remained stable and healthy for over three years after the surgeries.
People also search for: bichon frise increased thirst · dog adrenal gland tumor treatment · dog liver surgery recovery
Abstract
A 10 yr old bichon frise presented with a 3 mo history of polyuria, polydipsia, and hind limb weakness. Serum biochemistry revealed persistent hypokalemia. A left adrenal gland mass with right adrenal atrophy was detected ultrasonographically. Basal serum cortisol concentration was at the low end of normal (30 nmol/L; reference range, 30-140 nmol/L) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-stimulated cortisol concentration was low (199 nmol/L; reference range, 220-470 nmol/L). Basal serum 17-α-OH progesterone concentration was also low (0.03 ng/mL; reference range, 0.06-0.30 ng/mL), but the aldosterone concentration 2 hr after the ACTH stimulation was elevated (> 3,000 pmol/L; reference range, 197-2,103 pmol/L). A left adrenalectomy and nephrectomy were performed. Histopathology revealed an adrenocortical zona glomerulosa carcinoma. Surgical excision was considered incomplete; however, clinical signs resolved. Two years later, basal and ACTH-stimulated aldosterone concentrations were elevated. Computed tomography demonstrated a mass effect in the liver. The left lateral and left medial hepatic lobes were removed. Histopathology confirmed metastatic endocrine carcinoma. The patient was stable 1,353 days postsurgically (when this report was prepared). This is the first case report of a metastatic adrenal carcinoma that was successfully managed surgically for > 3 yr.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23033463/