Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog skin mast cell tumors removed with 2-cm surgical margin
By Fulcher, Ryan P et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2006·Department of Surgery, United States·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Evaluation of a two-centimeter lateral surgical margin for excision of grade I and grade II cutaneous mast cell tumors in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 16 dogs with skin tumors called mast cell tumors (MCTs) underwent surgery to remove the tumors with a 2-centimeter margin around them. Most of the tumors were completely removed, and during the follow-up period of about a year, none of the dogs had their tumors come back. However, three dogs developed new tumors after surgery. Overall, the approach of using a 2-centimeter margin seems effective for treating these tumors, with a good chance of preventing recurrence and fewer complications compared to larger surgical margins.
People also search for: dog skin tumor surgery · mast cell tumor treatment in dogs · dog tumor recurrence signs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate completeness of excision and clinical outcome in dogs with cutaneous mast cell tumors (MCTs) excised with a lateral margin of 2 cm and a deep margin of 1 fascial plane. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 16 client-owned dogs with 1 or more cutaneous MCTs. PROCEDURE: Excision of MCTs was performed with a 2-cm lateral margin and a deep margin of 1 fascial plane. Histologic tumor grading was performed; surgical margins were categorized as complete or incomplete. Follow-up information was obtained via repeat examination of the dogs by veterinarians or client-completed questionnaires. RESULTS: 4 grade I and 19 grade II cutaneous MCTs were evaluated. Overall, 21 (91%) MCTs were completely excised; 2 grade II tumors had foci of mast cells at the 2-cm margin. Two dogs received adjunctive treatments following surgery. Follow-up information was available for all dogs (median follow-up period, 379 days; range, 51 to 538 days); no local recurrence was detected during this time. De novo MCTs were detected in 3 of 16 dogs at 37, 54, and 154 days after surgery. Via Kaplan-Meier analysis, median survival time and disease-free interval were both > 538 days (medians not yet reached). No prognostic variables were identified. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Excision with a 2-cm lateral margin and a deep margin of 1 fascial plane may result in satisfactory excision of grades I and II MCTs in dogs, with recurrence rates similar to those reported previously. Use of these margins may minimize complications associated with larger local tumor resection.
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/16426187/