Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT scans show anal sac cancer spread in dogs
By Sutton, D R et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2022·Langford Vets, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Computed tomographic staging of dogs with anal sac adenocarcinoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 70 dogs with anal sac adenocarcinoma (a type of cancer affecting the glands near the anus) underwent CT scans to check for the spread of the disease. The scans showed that 71% of these dogs had local spread to nearby lymph nodes, while only 11% had lung metastases. Interestingly, there were no cases of lung metastasis without also having swollen lymph nodes nearby. This highlights the importance of regular check-ups and imaging to catch any spread of the cancer, regardless of the size of the anal sac mass.
People also search for: dog anal sac cancer symptoms · anal sac adenocarcinoma treatment · dog swollen lymph nodes near anus
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To describe the CT appearance of anal sac adenocarcinoma lesions in a population of dogs including the relations between primary tumour, and locoregional and distant metastasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of dogs with confirmed anal sac adenocarcinoma and available CT images of the thorax, abdomen and pelvis. RESULTS: A population of 70 dogs were included in the study. No association was found between anal sac mass size and presence or absence of iliosacral lymph node enlargement. The prevalence of local metastatic disease characterised by iliosacral lymphadenomegaly in this study was 71%, with pulmonary metastases identified in 11% of cases. There were no cases of distant pulmonary metastasis without concurrent locoregional lymphadenomegaly. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In our population of dogs local metastatic spread of anal sac adenocarcinoma was common, with a relatively low prevalence of pulmonary metastasis. The study demonstrates the importance of thorough rectal examination and/or imaging to assess the iliosacral lymph centre in this disease irrespective of the size of the anal sac mass.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34608641/