Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
VEGF protein levels linked to prognosis in dog mast cell tumors
By Melo, Samanta Rios et al.·Published in Topics in companion animal medicine·2021·University of Sã, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Immunohistochemical Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor as a Prognostic Marker for Canine Mast Cell Tumors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog with a mast cell tumor (a type of skin cancer) may have a worse outlook if tests show strong levels of a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This study found that higher VEGF levels were linked to shorter survival times in dogs with these tumors. While vets don't usually check for VEGF when assessing mast cell tumors, the findings suggest it could be helpful in predicting how well a dog might do after treatment. Understanding VEGF levels could also help in creating new treatments targeting this protein.
People also search for: dog mast cell tumor prognosis · canine skin cancer treatment · what is VEGF in dogs
Abstract
Strong to moderate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression may be a negative prognostic factor in canine mast cell tumors (MCTs). This study set out to determine the prognostic value of combined analysis of VEGF-A immunoreactivity, clinical presentation, patient staging, and tumor histologic grade in canine MCTs. In this study, intense VEGF staining was significantly associated with decreased survival (P = .025). Immunohistochemical expression of VEGF is not routinely employed as a prognostic factor in canine MCT workup. However, results of this study support the inclusion of this marker in the MCT prognostic panel. Investigation of VEGF expression may assist in the development of anti-VEGF drugs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33348010/