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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Radiation vs surgery for treating joint histiocytic sarcoma in dogs

By Marconato, Laura et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2020·Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Outcome comparison between radiation therapy and surgery as primary treatment for dogs with periarticular histiocytic sarcoma: An Italian Society of Veterinary Oncology study.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A group of dogs diagnosed with periarticular histiocytic sarcoma, a type of cancer affecting the tissues around joints, were treated either with surgery (mostly limb amputation) or radiation therapy followed by chemotherapy. The study found that both treatment options had similar outcomes in terms of how long the dogs lived and how long it took for the cancer to progress. On average, dogs that had surgery lived about 398 days, while those that received radiation lived around 240 days. This information can help pet owners and veterinarians make informed decisions about the best treatment options for this serious condition.

People also search for: dog cancer treatment options · periarticular histiocytic sarcoma in dogs · dog limb amputation recovery

Abstract

Localized histiocytic sarcoma may occur as a primary lesion in periarticular tissues of large appendicular joints. Treatment options for the primary lesion include radical surgical excision, radiation therapy (RT), or both, in combination with chemotherapy for potential systemic metastases. In an effort to better characterize the time to progression (TTP) following surgical vs non-surgical approaches for periarticular histiocytic sarcoma (PAHS), a contemporary European population of affected dogs was retrospectively surveyed. Medical records were queried for newly-diagnosed PAHS cases undergoing surgery (predominantly limb amputation) or RT followed by systemic chemotherapy. Of 49 dogs, 34 underwent RT and 15 underwent surgery. All dogs received adjuvant chemotherapy. There was no statistically significant difference in TTP or overall survival between groups. The median TTP was 336 days for the operated dogs and 217 days for the irradiated dogs (P = .117). The median overall survival time was 398 days for the operated dogs and 240 days for the irradiated dogs (P = .142). On multi-variable analysis, the variables significantly associated with an increased risk of both tumour progression and tumour-related death were regional lymph node and distant metastasis at admission. Survival and local control rates following RT may be comparable to radical resection. These data may better inform shared decision-making processes between multi-disciplinary care providers and owners.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32396662/