Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Principles of oncologic orofacial surgery.
- Journal:
- Clinical techniques in small animal practice
- Year:
- 1998
- Authors:
- Berg, J
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences · United States
Plain-English summary
In dogs, the most common types of mouth tumors are malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, and acanthomatous epulis. These tumors can spread to other parts of the body, but they usually grow aggressively in the area where they start. Treating them often involves removing part of the jawbone, and how long a dog lives after surgery depends a lot on the type of tumor and where it is located, with survival times ranging from about 4.6 to 26 months based on recent studies. For cats, squamous cell carcinoma is the most frequent oral tumor, and while surgery can sometimes be enough to treat it, it often needs to be combined with radiation therapy for better results. Overall, the effectiveness of treatment can vary significantly depending on the specific tumor.
Abstract
The most common orofacial tumors of dogs are malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, and acanthomatous epulis. These tumors vary significantly in their metastatic potential, but are consistently locally invasive. Bone involvement is common, and complete excision often requires partial mandibulectomy or partial maxillectomy. Survival times after surgery are most strongly influenced by tumor type (or metastatic rate) and tumor location. Recent large retrospective studies have reported median survival times ranging from 4.6 to 26 months. The most common oral tumor of cats is squamous cell carcinoma. This is a highly invasive tumor that occasionally can be effectively treated with surgery alone, but that often requires a combination of surgery and radiation therapy.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9634345/