Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How spleen and liver tests help stage mast cell tumors in dogs
By Brown, Megan et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2022·From the Department of Clinical Sciences (M.B., United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Utility of Spleen and Liver Cytology in Staging of Canine Mast Cell Tumors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at dogs with mast cell tumors (a type of skin cancer) to see if testing the spleen could help predict if the liver was affected. Out of 205 dogs, about 11% had cancer spread to the spleen or liver. The results showed that if the spleen test was negative, it was very likely the liver was also clear, but a positive spleen test didn't guarantee liver involvement. Larger tumors and certain symptoms were linked to a higher chance of cancer spreading. This information can help vets decide on the best treatment approach for dogs with mast cell tumors.
People also search for: dog mast cell tumor treatment · spleen cytology for dogs · liver metastasis in dogs
Abstract
Abdominal ultrasound with spleen and liver cytology is part of routine staging for canine mast cell tumors (MCTs). However, such tests are associated with increased morbidity and cost. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine if spleen cytology was predictive of liver cytology in canine MCTs and if any patient or tumor variables were associated with spleen and/or liver metastasis. Records of dogs with MCTs and cytology of spleen and liver were reviewed. Two hundred five patients were included. Overall, 22 (10.7%) patients had metastasis, with 21 (10.2%) and 13 (6.3%) having spleen and liver metastasis, respectively, and 12 (5.9%) having both. For patients with a positive (or negative) spleen cytology, the odds ratio of having a positive (or negative) liver cytology was 233.49. However, a negative spleen cytology had a higher predictive value (0.99) than a positive cytology (0.54). Finally, the presence of local and systemic signs and tumor size were associated with spleen, liver, and/or spleen or liver metastasis. These results suggest that spleen cytology is predictive of liver cytology in staging of canine MCTs, and increasing tumor size and presence of local or systemic signs are associated with an increased risk of visceral metastasis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35793488/