Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Oral minor salivary gland cancer in cats and survival outcomes
By Monica Morgado Laureano et al.·Published in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·2023·Animal Specialty & Emergency Center of Brevard, Melbourne, FL, USA, GB·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Feline minor salivary gland adenocarcinoma: retrospective case series and literature review
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of four cats aged 9 to 15 years was diagnosed with a rare type of tumor called salivary gland adenocarcinoma, which appeared as masses in their mouths. Three of the cats underwent surgery aimed at removing the tumor completely, while one cat had a less extensive surgery due to the tumor's spread. Despite surgery, all four cats were eventually euthanized due to the return of the tumor and a decline in their quality of life. The study suggests that early and aggressive surgery may help improve the quality and length of life for cats with this condition, but local recurrence remains a significant challenge.
People also search for: cat mouth tumor treatment · feline salivary gland cancer symptoms · cat oral mass surgery outcome
Abstract
Case series summary Salivary gland adenocarcinoma, of major or minor salivary gland origin, is an uncommon tumor in cats. This article describes the clinical features, morbidity and survival rates of four cats with salivary gland adenocarcinoma arising from minor salivary gland tissue. Medical records from a private multicenter dentistry and oral surgery practice were reviewed for the period between 2007 and 2021. Four cats were included in this retrospective case series study, with oral masses on either the right or left caudal mandibular labial buccal mucosa. The inclusion criteria included a diagnosis of salivary gland adenocarcinoma in an anatomical location with lack of involvement of a major salivary gland, complete medical history and a follow-up of at least 6 months. The age range of the cats was 9–15 years; three of the cats were castrated males and one was a spayed female. Curative intent surgery was performed in three cats, whereas palliative surgery (debulking) owing to extensive soft tissue invasion was performed in one cat. Survival times were in the range of 210–1730 (mean 787) days. All four cats were euthanized owing to local recurrence and decreased quality of life, regardless of treatment modality. Relevance and novel information There are limited documented studies reporting the prevalence of salivary gland neoplasia affecting minor disseminated glands in the oral cavity of feline patients. Salivary gland adenocarcinoma should be a differential in cats presenting with caudal labial masses. Surgical resection has been the recommended treatment for salivary gland neoplasia of major salivary gland origin. According to this current case series, we propose that early aggressive surgical treatment with wide surgical margins should be performed for cats with salivary gland adenocarcinoma of minor salivary gland origin. Surgery increased the quality and duration of life; however, each patient was euthanized owing to local recurrence and morbidity.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X231189973