Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Liver lesion appearance linked to cancer spread in dogs with splenic
By Clendaniel, Daphne C et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2014·Department of Small Animal Surgery (D.C., United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Association between macroscopic appearance of liver lesions and liver histology in dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma: 79 cases (2004-2009).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma (a type of cancer) underwent surgery to remove their spleens, and their liver health was examined afterward. The study found that dogs with noticeable liver lesions, like dark or bleeding nodules, often had cancer spread to the liver, while those with normal-looking livers did not show any signs of cancer spread. This suggests that if a dog's liver appears normal during surgery, a biopsy may not be necessary. The findings help veterinarians understand when to check the liver in dogs with this type of cancer.
People also search for: dog splenic hemangiosarcoma treatment · liver lesions in dogs · signs of dog liver cancer · dog cancer spread to liver
Abstract
Medical records for 79 dogs with confirmed splenic hemangiosarcoma (HSA) following splenectomy were reviewed for information regarding either the presence or absence of macroscopic liver lesions and the histopathological characteristics of the liver. Only 29 of 58 dogs (50%) with grossly abnormal livers had HSA metastasis. No dogs with grossly normal livers had metastasis detected on liver pathology. Gross lesions in the liver such as multiple nodules, dark-colored nodules, and active bleeding nodules were highly associated with malignancy. For the dogs in this study, performing biopsy in a grossly normal liver was a low-yield procedure in dogs with splenic HSA.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25001171/