Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Outcomes for dogs with high-grade soft tissue sarcomas after surgery
By Crownshaw, Abigail H et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2020·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of variables associated with outcomes in 41 dogs with incompletely excised high-grade soft tissue sarcomas treated with definitive-intent radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 41 dogs with high-grade soft tissue sarcomas (a type of cancer) that were not completely removed through surgery received radiation therapy, sometimes along with chemotherapy. The study found that the average survival time for these dogs was about 981 days, with many living over a year. While chemotherapy didn't seem to help them live longer, sticking to the radiation schedule was important for better outcomes. Some dogs did develop metastasis (spread of cancer) or local recurrence, but careful treatment planning helped improve their chances of survival.
People also search for: dog soft tissue sarcoma treatment · dog cancer radiation therapy · high-grade sarcoma prognosis in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate potential prognostic indicators for local recurrence, distant metastasis, and survival time in dogs with incompletely excised high-grade soft tissue sarcomas (HGSTSs), as defined by a mitotic index ≥ 9, that underwent definitive-intent radiation treatment (RT; ≥ 48 Gy total dose) with or without adjuvant chemotherapy. ANIMALS: 41 client-owned dogs with HGSTSs treated with surgical resection followed by definitive-intent RT between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2016. PROCEDURES: Medical records were reviewed retrospectively, and data were collected. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the overall survival time (OST) of dogs and time to progression (TTP) of disease, starting from the first day of RT. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the impact of results for several variables on OST and TTP. RESULTS: The median OST was 981 days, with 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of 85%, 43%, and 18%, respectively. The median TTP was not reached; however, the mean TTP was 1,581 days. Ten of the 41 (24%) dogs developed metastasis, and 8 (20%) developed local recurrence. Sixteen of the 41 dogs received chemotherapy. The hazard of disease progression over the study period increased as the mitotic index (hazard ratio [HR], 1.115) or duration of RT (HR, 1.427) increased. The hazard of death over the study period increased as the RT duration (HR, 1.372) or surgical scar length (HR, 1.272) increased. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although adjuvant chemotherapy was not associated with improved survival time in dogs of the present study, results indicated that improved OST and TTP could be achieved through strict adherence to the prescribed irradiation schedule and avoidance of unnecessary prolongation of the course of RT.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32176583/