Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Perineural invasion predicts local recurrence in cats with squamous
By Dos Santos, Francielle Fernanda Quirino et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2024·School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Perineural invasion as a predictor of local recurrence in cats with squamous cell carcinoma treated with electrochemotherapy.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 24 cats diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer) were treated with electrochemotherapy, a method that uses electrical pulses to enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Most of the cats (96%) responded well to the treatment, but about one-third had perineural invasion (PNI), which is when cancer spreads along the nerves. All the cats with PNI experienced a return of their cancer, while only a few without PNI had recurrences. This suggests that PNI may be a sign of a higher risk for local recurrence in cats with this type of cancer, indicating the need for closer monitoring.
People also search for: cat squamous cell carcinoma treatment · electrochemotherapy for cats · cat cancer recurrence signs
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a malignant neoplasm that accounts for approximately 15-25% and 70-80% of all feline cutaneous and oral tumors, respectively. Similar to that in humans, feline SCC can be highly invasive locally; however, its metastasis rate is low. Thus, effective local treatment may be curative for most patients, and includes surgery, electrochemotherapy (ECT), cryosurgery, or a combination of these. However, this neoplasia can manifest more aggressively in some patients, leading to higher recurrence rates. In humans, perineural invasion (PNI) has been described as a relevant tumor dissemination pathway associated with high-risk SCC, resulting in higher recurrence rates, resistance to local treatments, and short survival. However, PNI and its prognostic value have not been described in feline SCC. This study aimed to evaluate the PNI in a feline population with SCC treated with ECT and correlate its presence with the occurrence of local recurrence and other clinical variables. METHODS: Twenty-four cats histopathologically diagnosed with SCC between 2013 and 2021 were retrospectively selected from the medical records of the Oncological Center Vet Cancer (São Paulo, SP, Brazil). The inclusion criteria were ECT as the sole therapy, histopathological evaluation of PNI, and absence of distant metastatic disease. RESULTS: The complete response rate was 96% (23/24), and PNI was identified in 33% of the cats (8/24, PNI-positive group), whereas 67% were free of this invasion (16/24, PNI-negative group). All PNI-positive cats developed local recurrence, whereas only five PNI-negative cats experienced recurrence. Local recurrence was significantly associated with PNI (= 0.03). DISCUSSION: The results of this study are preliminary but promising. The data obtained are the first regarding PNI occurrence in feline SCC and pave the way for further studies, mainly to correlate the PNI with survival data and better define its prognostic value.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38903688/