Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How well cytology predicts dog mammary tumor outcomes and spread
By Dolka, Izabella et al.·Published in PloS one·2018·Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Diagnostic efficacy of smear cytology and Robinson's cytological grading of canine mammary tumors with respect to histopathology, cytomorphometry, metastases and overall survival.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old female dog with a mammary tumor underwent a quick and cost-effective test called cytology to help diagnose her condition before surgery. The results showed that the tumor was likely aggressive, and the grading system used indicated a higher risk of spreading and a shorter survival time. Unfortunately, tumors graded as 2 or 3 were linked to the most deaths related to mammary tumors in dogs. The study suggests that using this grading method can help veterinarians better assess the severity of mammary tumors and choose the right treatment options.
People also search for: dog mammary tumor diagnosis · canine mammary tumor treatment · cytology for dog tumors · dog cancer survival rates
Abstract
Cytology is a simple, rapid, and inexpensive method used for pre-operative diagnosis of canine mammary tumors (CMTs) in veterinary practice. Studies related to human breast cancer showed the Robinson's grading system-established for invasive ductal carcinoma, not otherwise specified (IDC, NOS) and used on cytological material-to not only closely correspond to the histopathological grading but also be helpful in assessing prognosis and selecting most suitable treatments before surgery. The objectives of this study were: to evaluate the accuracy of cytological diagnosis and cytological Robinson's grading system compared to the histopathological examination of CMTs; to compare of cytological features and cytomorphometric parameters with tumor behavior, as well as cytological and histological grading; and to determine an association of the Robinson's grading system and cytological background details with metastases, and patients' survival. We report substantial diagnostic accuracy in detecting simple types and high grade tumors. Cytological diagnosis of tumor behavior showed relatively low sensitivity and specificity compared to human studies, and this might be caused by the heterogeneous morphology of CMTs. The presence of mucosecretory material and extracellular matrix was not significantly associated with tumor behavior. We report a positive correlation between both grading systems and cytological features (included in Robinson's grading), the presence of necrotic debris, inflammation, and red blood cells. A negative correlation was determined only for the presence of extracellular matrix. The univariate and multivariate analyses confirmed a significantly higher risk of developing metastasis and shorter overall survival for dogs with tumors of grade 2 or 3 on cytology. In addition, these tumors were the most common cause of CMT-related deaths in dogs. Taken together, our findings suggest that the Robinson's method of cytological grading applied for malignant CMTs evaluated in cytological smears regardless of tumor type can be adapted to veterinary cytology. Additionally, some background features seem to aid malignancy assessment.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29360854/