Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT scans find hidden second tumors and spread in 736 dogs with cancer
By Magestro, L M & Gieger, T L·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2017·Department of Clinical Sciences (College of Veterinary Medicine) and Comparative Medicine Institute, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Detection of synchronous primary tumours and previously undetected metastases in 736 dogs with neoplasia undergoing CT scans for diagnostic, staging and/or radiation treatment planning purposes.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 736 dogs with confirmed cancer underwent CT scans to check for any additional tumors or spread of their disease. The scans revealed that about 5% of these dogs had either new primary tumors or metastases (spread of cancer) that had not been previously detected. In some cases, even lymph nodes that looked normal on the scans had hidden cancer. This highlights the importance of thorough CT evaluations and checking lymph nodes, as it can change how veterinarians approach treatment and further testing for these dogs.
People also search for: dog cancer CT scan results · signs of dog metastasis · dog lymph node cancer detection
Abstract
The purpose of our study was to describe synchronous primary tumours and previously undetected metastases in 736 dogs with confirmed neoplasia in which computed tomography (CT) scans were performed for diagnostic, staging and/or radiation treatment planning purposes. All CTs were reviewed by a radiologist. Tumour-associated CT abnormalities were detected in 38/736 (5%), including confirmed or suspected synchronous primary neoplasms (n = 24), metastases of the primary tumour (n = 9) or both (n = 3). In lymph nodes (LN) that were considered abnormal on CT scan and were aspirated, 23% contained metastasis, and 6% of 'normal' appearing LN that were aspirated contained metastasis. Thorough evaluation of CTs and routine aspiration of regional LN are critical because results affect recommendations to perform additional staging tests and treatment for the primary and secondary tumour(s).
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27135757/