Cancer in Practice - Part one
Posted on Thursday, March 22 @ 21:06:49 GMT by jenvetadmin
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We have 3 parts to this article - part 2 and 3 to will follow part one each week.
Please discuss your cancer cases within the forums - we can all learn from each other.
Cancer In Practice – part one.
Identifying cancer:
Owners usually identify a mass but not always.
They may notice signs such as:
Increased thirst with lymphoma-induced hypercalcemia or lameness with hypertrophic osteopathy secondary to lung tumors.
Samples from fine-needle aspiration or biopsy can be examined to provide a definitive diagnosis.
Cytological evaluation is the most reliable to gain
a differential diagnosis and to identify neoplastic from non-neoplastic.
Some tumors including mast-cell tumor and lymphoma, it can provide a definitive diagnosis.
Histopathology is the most reliable method to confirm a cancer diagnosis and can be improved by using immunohistochemical methods.
Sadly the veterinary profession technology is far behind human Oncology.
For example the use of genetic/molecular markers for early cancer detection and in the use of advanced imaging such as positron emission tomography (PET) or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging and lymphoscintigraphy for cancer staging.
We do not yet have such things available – yet.
Recent advances, such as the completion of the
Dog Genome Project, will enable us to move forward in areas such as screening and early detection.
Most pet cancers are treatable – a goal should be set at the beginning in each case. The aim to palliate the disease and improve/sustain the animal’s quality of life.
The most curable of the cancers are localized – which can be excised. These are generally the case for skin/soft tissue tumours. Lymphoma is rarely cured but can be treated.
The treatment options available include surgery, radiation therapy, radio-pharmaceuticals, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and photodynamic therapy.
The availability of some of these options is often limited to veterinary teaching hospitals or referral centers.
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