Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How common is splenic cancer in dogs having spleen removal surgery
By Ziogaite, Brigita et al.·Published in PloS one·2024·Leader Animal Specialty Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Incidence of splenic malignancy and hemangiosarcoma in dogs undergoing splenectomy surgery at a surgical specialty clinic: 182 cases (2017-2021).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs undergoing surgery to remove their spleens were evaluated for splenic tumors, with 32.4% diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, a type of cancer. The study found that dogs with low platelet counts, anemia, and smaller tumors were more likely to have this cancer. Interestingly, most dogs (57.7%) had benign conditions, and nearly all dogs with incidental findings had non-cancerous lesions. The results suggest that while hemangiosarcoma is a concern, many dogs can have benign issues instead.
People also search for: dog splenic tumor symptoms · hemangiosarcoma in German shepherds · dog spleen surgery recovery · signs of dog cancer · dog splenectomy outcomes
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the risk and predictive factors of splenic malignancy and hemangiosarcoma in dogs undergoing splenectomy at a surgical specialty clinic. Medical records, hematologic results, surgical reports, and histopathologic results from 182 dogs that underwent splenectomy for the treatment of splenic masses or nodules were reviewed retrospectively. The majority of dogs (57.7%) had benign splenic diagnoses with no malignancy. Hemangiosarcoma was diagnosed in 32.4% of the dogs. A final multivariable model indicated that thrombocytopenia, anemia, and a smaller diameter of the largest splenic nodule were risk factors for hemangiosarcoma (P<0.001), and hemoperitoneum (P = 0.01) was an additional risk factor when nodule diameter was not evaluated. There were 91 dogs that had hemoperitoneum, and 60.4% of those dogs had malignant splenic lesions. Of the 33 dogs that underwent a splenectomy for incidentally identified splenic lesions, 93.9% had benign splenic lesions. Breed size was not a significant predictor of splenic malignancy risk; however, all 6 of the German shepherds included in the study had a hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Overall prevalence of splenic malignancy including HSA may be overestimated in some canine populations.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39625875/