Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery outcomes for dogs with nerve sheath tumors in legs or hips
By Stokes, Rebecca et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2023·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Surgical and oncologic outcomes in dogs with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours arising from the brachial or lumbosacral plexus.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 30 dogs with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) affecting the brachial or lumbosacral plexus underwent surgery, either amputation alone or amputation combined with a laminectomy. While 13% of the dogs experienced complications during surgery and 37% had issues afterward, the overall outcomes were fairly positive. About 46% of the dogs had a recurrence of the tumor, but the median survival time was around 570 days, with 82% surviving for at least one year. This suggests that while surgery can be risky, it can also lead to good long-term results for dogs with this type of cancer.
People also search for: dog nerve sheath tumor treatment · dog amputation recovery · malignant tumor survival rates in dogs
Abstract
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNST) of a plexus nerve or nerve root cause significant morbidity and present a treatment challenge. The surgical approach can be complex and information is lacking on outcomes. The objective of this study was to describe surgical complication rates and oncologic outcomes for canine MPNST of the brachial or lumbosacral plexus. Dogs treated for a naïve MPNST with amputation/hemipelvectomy with or without a laminectomy were retrospectively analysed. Oncologic outcomes were disease free interval (DFI), overall survival (OS), and 1- and 2-year survival rates. Thirty dogs were included. The surgery performed was amputation alone in 17 cases (57%), and amputation/hemipelvectomy with laminectomy in 13 cases (43%). Four dogs (13%) had an intraoperative complication, while 11 dogs (37%) had postoperative complications. Histologic margins were reported as R0 in 12 dogs (40%), R1 in 12 dogs (40%), and R2 in five dogs (17%). No association was found between histologic grade and margin nor extent of surgical approach and margin. Thirteen dogs (46%) had recurrence. The median DFI was 511 days (95% CI: 140-882 days). The median disease specific OST was 570 days (95% CI: 467-673 days) with 1- and 2-year survival rates of 82% and 22% respectively. No variables were significantly associated with recurrence, DFI, or disease specific OST. These data show surgical treatment of plexus MPNST was associated with a high intra- and postoperative complication rate but relatively good disease outcomes. This information can guide clinicians in surgical risk management and owner communication regarding realistic outcomes and complications.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37727977/