Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Massive liver cancer in dogs - study of cases and risks
By Leela-Arporn, R et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2019·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Epidemiology of massive hepatocellular carcinoma in dogs: A 4-year retrospective study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) showed that older dogs, especially Welsh Corgis and Beagles, are more likely to develop this condition. Many of the affected dogs also had other health issues, with hyperadrenocorticism (a hormone disorder) being the most common. Blood tests revealed that high levels of certain enzymes and calcium were often linked to the cancer diagnosis. If you have a Corgi or Beagle, it’s important to keep an eye on their health as they age, especially for signs of liver problems or hormone disorders.
People also search for: dog liver cancer symptoms · Welsh Corgi health issues · Beagle liver disease signs
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumour in dogs. However, the clinical features and risk factors of HCC have not been confirmed. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical features and risk factors for canine HCC. Medical records of 44 dogs diagnosed with HCC at Hokkaido University Veterinary Teaching Hospital between 2013 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. All dogs evaluated at the teaching hospital during the study period were used as the reference population for breed, age, sex predispositions or possible related factors for HCC, including concurrent disorders. Clinical characteristics of HCC were determined using propensity score matching analysis. The prevalence of HCC diagnosis was 0.96%. Multivariate analysis revealed that dogs diagnosed with HCC were significantly older (odds ratio [OR], 1.20; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.07-1.33) than the reference population. Welsh Corgis (OR, 3.68; 95% CI, 1.56-8.67) and Beagles (OR, 4.33; 95% CI, 1.58-11.90) were significantly predisposed to HCC. Twenty-seven of 44 dogs with HCC had at least one concurrent disorder. The most common concurrent disorder was hyperadrenocorticism (n = 10), and the adjusted odds of hyperadrenocorticism in dogs with HCC were 4.13 higher than those of the reference population (95% CI, 1.95-8.76). Propensity score matching analysis revealed that thrombocytosis (n = 30/43), increased alanine aminotransferase (n = 41/44), increased alkaline phosphatase (n = 42/44), and hypercalcemia (n = 13/32) were significantly associated with HCC diagnosis. The results of this study suggest that Welsh Corgis and Beagles are breeds with a predisposition for HCC and that hyperadrenocorticism might be a potential risk factor.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31113567/