Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blood test for cancer in dogs with spleen lumps
By Meazzi, Sara et al.·Published in The veterinary quarterly·2024·Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Circulating nucleosomes as a potential cancer biomarker in dogs with splenic nodular lesions.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that dogs with splenic nodular lesions, which can be either benign or cancerous, had higher levels of nucleosomes in their blood if the lesions were malignant. This is particularly true for dogs with a type of cancer called hemangiosarcoma. The researchers suggest that measuring these nucleosome levels could help vets identify which dogs may have cancer without needing immediate surgery, which can be invasive. This could help owners make better decisions about their pets' care, especially if surgery isn't a good option. More research is needed to see how these levels relate to the severity of the disease.
People also search for: dog splenic tumor symptoms · hemangiosarcoma treatment in dogs · dog blood test for cancer
Abstract
Splenic nodular lesions in dogs can be either benign or malignant. They might be discovered incidentally or, in case of rupture, they may lead to hemoabdomen. Nevertheless, splenectomy followed by histopathology is essential for diagnosis and to prevent rupture. Yet, this invasive procedure might be postponed for dogs with benign splenic nodular lesions. Conversely, owners may opt for euthanasia over surgery for malignancies with poor prognosis like hemangiosarcoma. Thus, anticipating diagnosis with non-invasive biomarkers is crucial for proper patient management. In this prospective study, plasma samples were collected from 66 dogs with histologically confirmed splenic nodular lesions. A canine-specific ELISA kit was applied to assess nucleosome concentration, with histopathology of the spleen serving as the gold standard. Nucleosome concentration was found to be significantly higher in dogs with malignant splenic nodular lesions, particularly in those with hemangiosarcoma and other malignancies. The presence of hemoabdomen, more prevalent in dogs with splenic malignancy, also resulted in increased plasmatic nucleosome concentrations. Plasma nucleosomes could serve as a biomarker for detecting malignant splenic nodular lesions in dogs. More research is needed to understand how nucleosome concentration relate to disease stage and prognosis in dogs with hemangiosarcoma.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39224020/