Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Low platelet count and tumor stage predict survival in dogs
By Masyr, Alison R et al.Ā·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical AssociationĀ·2021Ā·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Retrospective evaluation of thrombocytopenia and tumor stage as prognostic indicators in dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old Golden Retriever was diagnosed with splenic hemangiosarcoma (a type of cancer) after showing signs of weakness and a swollen abdomen. The dog underwent surgery to remove the spleen and received chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the cancer was at stage 3, which is linked to a poorer prognosis, and the dog also had low platelet counts, which further indicated a shorter survival time. Despite the treatment, the presence of these factors suggested a more challenging recovery, highlighting the importance of monitoring blood counts in dogs with this condition.
People also search for: dog splenic hemangiosarcoma prognosis Ā· Golden Retriever cancer treatment Ā· low platelet count in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To identify physical examination and perioperative CBC variables in dogs with splenic hemangiosarcoma (HSA) that could aid in predicting progression-free interval (PFI) and overall survival time (OST) in affected dogs. ANIMALS: 70 client-owned dogs with splenic HSA treated with splenectomy and chemotherapy between September 2004 and October 2016. PROCEDURES: A retrospective search of the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center medical records database was performed to identify dogs with splenic HSA treated with splenectomy and with evidence in the medical records of intent to treat with chemotherapy. Data collection included dog signalment and body surface area, results from CBCs performed within 6 days before to 2 days after splenectomy, whether dogs had hemoabdomen or received transfusions, and tumor stage. Hematocrit, WBC count, and platelet count were treated as categorical variables (divided into terciles: above, within, or below reference limits) because of variation among reference intervals for the numerous analyzers used. Associations between variables and PFI or OST were investigated with Cox regression analyses, and hazard ratios (HRs) for a shorter PFI or OST were reported. Population Pearson correlation coefficient (ρ) analysis was performed to identify potential associations between variables of interest. RESULTS: Stage 3 HSA was identified as a negative prognostic indicator of PFI (HR, 6.6) and OST (HR, 4.5). Perioperative thrombocytopenia was similarly associated with shorter PFI (HR, 2.2) and OST (HR, 2.0). Results for Hct correlated (ρ = 0.58) with those for platelet count, and although our findings did not indicate a notable association between anemia and shorter PFI, such could not be ruled out. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The prognostic value of thrombocytopenia warrants further substantiation to understand causal and mechanistic connections, and the presence of thrombocytopenia ultimately may prove valuable in guiding treatment recommendations for dogs with splenic HSA.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33683962/