Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Anemia linked to shorter survival in dogs with lymphoma
By Miller, A G et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2009·Department of Microbiology, 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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Anemia is associated with decreased survival time in dogs with lymphoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that dogs with lymphoma (a type of cancer) who also had anemia (low red blood cell count) at the time of diagnosis lived for a shorter time compared to those without anemia. Specifically, the presence of anemia was linked to decreased survival times, although it did not affect how long the dogs remained in remission. This information highlights the importance of monitoring for anemia in dogs diagnosed with lymphoma, as addressing this issue may help improve their quality of life and longevity.
People also search for: dog lymphoma anemia treatment · how does anemia affect dog cancer survival · dog cancer prognosis with anemia
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Anemia is a common complication in human patients with neoplasia and has been associated with decreased survival time and a poorer quality of life. HYPOTHESIS: The presence of anemia at diagnosis is negatively associated with survival and remission times in dogs with lymphoma, but not in dogs with osteosarcoma. ANIMALS: Eighty-four dogs with lymphoma and 91 dogs with osteosarcoma that presented for treatment at the Animal Cancer Center, Colorado State University. METHODS: Retrospective, case-control study. Medical records were reviewed to determine the presence or absence of anemia (PCV < 40) at initial presentation. Median survival and remission times were identified by the Kaplan-Meier product limit method and the association between anemia and survival was determined by a multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. RESULTS: Cancer-related anemia is more frequent in dogs with lymphoma than in control dogs or dogs with osteosarcoma. Dogs with lymphoma and anemia had a significantly decreased survival time compared with dogs without anemia. There was no effect of anemia on remission time in dogs with lymphoma. Anemic dogs with osteosarcoma did not have decreased survival or remission time compared with nonanemic dogs with osteosarcoma. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Shortened survival time in dogs with lymphoma and anemia at initial presentation has important prognostic significance. Understanding cancer-related anemia in dogs might offer new opportunities to improve quality of life and survival times in these patients.
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/19138381/