Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Complications and survival after stomach cancer surgery in dogs
By Abrams, Brittany et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2019·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Perioperative complications and outcome after surgery for treatment of gastric carcinoma in dogs: A Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology retrospective study of 40 cases (2004-2018).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 40 dogs with confirmed stomach cancer underwent surgery to remove the tumor. After surgery, some dogs experienced serious complications, including infections, but overall, the median survival time was about 178 days. Dogs that received additional chemotherapy after surgery tended to live longer than those who did not. This information can help pet owners understand what to expect if their dog needs surgery for stomach cancer and the potential benefits of follow-up treatments.
People also search for: dog stomach cancer surgery · dog gastric carcinoma treatment · dog chemotherapy survival rate
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics, perioperative complications, and outcomes in dogs surgically treated for gastric carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: Multi-institutional retrospective case series. ANIMALS: Forty client-owned dogs with histologically confirmed gastric carcinoma. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for preoperative diagnostics, surgery, histopathology, postoperative complications, adjuvant chemotherapy, disease progression, and survival. Variables were assessed for associations with outcome by using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: Surgical treatment included partial gastrectomy (28 dogs), Billroth I (9 dogs), subtotal gastrectomy (2 dogs), and submucosal resection (1 dog). Major postoperative complications occurred in 8 of 40 dogs, including septic peritonitis secondary to dehiscence in 4 dogs. The median progression free interval was 54 days, and the median survival time (MST) was 178 days (range, 1-1902). According to multivariable analysis results, experiencing an intraoperative complication was associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio [HR] 3.5, 95% CI 1.1-9.8, P = .005), and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy correlated with an improved survival (HR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.9, P = .03). CONCLUSION: In this population of dogs, MST exceeded historically reported data, major postoperative complication rates were comparable to established literature, and administration of adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved survival. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Results from this study may be used to counsel owners more accurately regarding prognosis for dogs undergoing surgical excision for gastric carcinoma.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31140634/