Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Survival and outcomes in small breed dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma
By Story, Ashton L et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2020·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Outcomes of 43 small breed dogs treated for splenic hemangiosarcoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 43 small breed dogs diagnosed with splenic hemangiosarcoma (a type of cancer affecting the spleen) underwent surgery to remove the spleen, and many also received chemotherapy. The average survival time for these dogs was about 116 days, but those who had both surgery and chemotherapy lived longer, averaging 207 days. Unfortunately, the prognosis for these dogs remains poor, especially if the cancer had already spread at the time of diagnosis. While treatment can extend their lives, it’s important for owners to discuss all options and outcomes with their veterinarian.
People also search for: small dog hemangiosarcoma treatment · splenic cancer in dogs · chemotherapy for dog cancer
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine outcome and prognostic factors in small breed dogs in which hemangiosarcoma was diagnosed and whether outcomes differed between small and large breed dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma. STUDY DESIGN: Bi-institutional retrospective study. ANIMALS: Forty-three small breed (<20 kg) and 94 large breed client-owned dogs. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed to identify dogs treated with splenectomy for splenic hemangiosarcoma. Data acquired included signalment, preoperative staging, bloodwork results, surgical findings, histopathologic findings, administration of chemotherapy, presence/absence of metastatic disease, and survival time (ST). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to assess prognostic factors associated with survival. RESULTS: The overall median ST was 116 days and 97 days for small and large breed dogs, respectively. The ST for dogs treated with surgery and chemotherapy was 207 and 139 days for small and large breed dogs, respectively. The disease-free interval (DFI) was 446 and 80 days for small and large breed dogs, respectively. Dog size was associated with DFI (P = .02) but not with ST (P = .09). The presence of metastasis at diagnosis was associated with decreased ST in small (P = .03) and large (P = .0009) breed dogs. Administration of chemotherapy (P = .02) was associated with increased ST (P = .02) in small breed dogs. CONCLUSION: The ST was not different in small and large breed dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma treated with splenectomy and chemotherapy. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Prognosis remains poor despite aggressive therapies in small and large breed dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32562436/