Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How accurate are pre-treatment biopsies for grading soft tissue
By Perry, J A et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2014·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Diagnostic accuracy of pre-treatment biopsy for grading soft tissue sarcomas in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 68 dogs diagnosed with soft tissue sarcomas (STS) underwent pre-treatment biopsies to determine the tumor grade before surgery. The results showed that the biopsy grades matched only 59% of the time with the final grades obtained after surgical removal. In many cases, the pre-treatment biopsies either underestimated or overestimated the tumor grade. While needle-core biopsies were found to be as accurate as open biopsies, pet owners should be cautious when interpreting the results of pre-treatment biopsies for STS, as they may not always reflect the true severity of the tumor.
People also search for: dog soft tissue sarcoma biopsy accuracy · dog tumor grade biopsy · canine sarcoma treatment options
Abstract
Histologic grade is an important prognostic factor for both local recurrence and metastatic potential with canine soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Pre-treatment biopsy with identification of tumour grade may aid in prognostication and determination of surgical margins necessary for local control. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the grading accuracy of various pre-treatment biopsy techniques (wedge, punch, needle-core) for STS in dogs. Medical records of 68 dogs diagnosed with a STS via pre-treatment biopsy and confirmed by excisional biopsy were evaluated. The concordance in grade between excisional and pre-treatment biopsies was 59%. Of the 41% that lacked concordance, 29% of pre-treatment biopsies underestimated and 12% overestimated grade. The method of pre-treatment biopsy did not significantly effect grade concordance. Based on these data, needle-core biopsy appears to be similar in accuracy compared to open biopsy, however, grading determined by pre-treatment biopsy in general should be interpreted with caution.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22617002/