Biological behaviour and clinical outcome in 42 cats with sarcoids (cutaneous fibropapillomas).

Feline sarcoids (or cutaneous fibropapillomas) are rare dermal neoplasms. There are currently no reported statistics concerning their clinical behaviour. Our objective with this retrospective, multi-institutional study was to describe the clinical presentation and biological behaviour of sarcoids in cats and to determine the oncologic outcome following surgical resection. Medical records from a laboratory database and six contributing institutions were searched to identify cats with histologically confirmed sarcoids. Forty-two cats were included in the study. The majority of sarcoids occurred on the face, particularly rostral locations such as the lips and nasal planum. Complete and incomplete histologic excision was achieved in 18 and 21 cats, respectively. The overall local recurrence rate was 40.5%. Complete histologic excision was associated with a significantly lower local recurrence rate (11.1%) and longer disease-free interval (not reached) compared with cats with incompletely excised sarcoids (66.7% and 250 days, respectively). The 1- and 2-year local recurrence rates were 0% and 7%, respectively, for cats with complete histologic excision, and 67% at both time intervals for cats with incomplete histologic excision. Five of the cats (83.3%) treated with curative-intent surgical revision following local tumour recurrence had no further local recurrence. All cats that died secondary to tumour-related causes had initial incomplete histologic excision and were euthanized because of local recurrence. Wide surgical resection of feline sarcoids is recommended to achieve complete histologic excision, local tumour control and a potential cure. For cats with incomplete histologic excision or local tumour recurrence, repeat surgical resection is recommended.

Retrospective evaluation of a modified human lung cancer stage classification in dogs with surgically excised primary pulmonary carcinomas.

The stage classification for canine primary pulmonary carcinomas (PPC) was last updated in 1980. In people, the human lung cancer stage classification (HLCSC) (currently in its eighth edition) plays an integral role in diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making and is prognostic despite a heterogeneous population of tumours. The objective of this retrospective case study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of a canine lung carcinoma stage classification (CLCSC) adapted from the HLCSC by removal of substage for ease of application to canine PPC. A secondary objective was to evaluate the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy. Medical records of 71 dogs with histologically confirmed PPC were reviewed. All dogs underwent surgical excision of the primary lung tumour. Primary tumour features (referring to T1-T4 stages) and TNM stages (1-4) were assigned using the CLCSC. Canine lung carcinoma stage was I (n = 7), II (n = 32), III (n = 24) and IV (n = 8). Median survival time was 952, 658, 158 and 52 days for stages I-IV, respectively. Primary tumour features (T1-T4), incomplete surgical excision, presence of lymph node metastasis and tumour grade were independent prognostic indicators for overall survival. Twenty-six dogs received adjuvant chemotherapy; however, no statistically significant benefit was found. The CLCSC primary tumour features and stage classification were highly prognostic for survival in dogs with PPC. We propose further application and evaluation of this update to canine PPC stage classification. Given the poor prognosis of advanced stage canine PPC, novel treatments are needed.

Histiocytic Sarcoma and Hemangiosarcoma Update.

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) and hemangiosarcoma (HSA) are uncommon and aggressive neoplasms that develop much more frequently in dogs than in cats. Breed-specific predispositions have been identified for both cancers. The development of novel diagnostics is underway and may aid in earlier diagnosis. Therapeutic approaches to HS and HSA depend on the stage of disease and may include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Such interventions improve outcome; however, aside from a small number of clinical circumstances, both diseases are considered largely incurable. Continued efforts toward the identification of driver mutations and subsequent druggable targets may lead to improvements in long-term prognosis.

Autologous tumor lysate/Bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy as an adjuvant to conventional breast cancer therapy

Introduction. Autologous tumor cell vaccines rely on the concept of preserving an individual’s own tumorigenic makeup, expressing its unique set of tumor-associated antigens as well as antigenic elements from the surrounding stroma. These autologous tumor characteristics are usually presented with an immune adjuvant in the hopes of enhancing an immune response. Methods. The autologous vaccine we used was composed of tumor cells combined with BCG and formalin. Animal safety and toxicity were evaluated using mice tumors for the immunotherapy. A small number of patients with advanced stage breast cancer were recruited for an uncontrolled study, using the vaccine solely or combined with chemotherapy/radiotherapy. Results. The immunotherapy had shown to be safe in mice and humans. Upon a 5-year follow-up, the survival rate was 60 % for the combined treatment. Conclusions. The data suggest that the combined treatment could be a feasible and safe therapeutic strategy. However, further controlled studies should be conducted (AU)

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Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery as treatment for oral maxillary squamous cell carcinoma in a dog.

A gingival maxillary squamous cell carcinoma was diagnosed in a 12-year-old male Yorkshire Terrier. After a complete diagnostic work-up, including a computed tomography scan, the tumour was staged as T3bN1aM0 and considered non-resectable at presentation. The combination of neoadjuvant megavoltage radiotherapy and neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin and doxorubicin decreased the size of the tumour, allowing for surgery. The dog was free from local disease for 421 days after which it was euthanased at the owners' request.

A randomized controlled study into the efficacy and toxicity of pegylated liposome encapsulated doxorubicin as an adjuvant therapy in dogs with splenic haemangiosarcoma.

Safety and efficacy of pegylated liposome encapsulated doxorubicin (PL-DOX) was compared with free doxorubicin as an adjuvant monotherapy in dogs with splenic haemangiosarcoma after splenectomy in a randomized prospective clinical trial. A total of 17 dogs in each group were treated. No significant difference in survival between the two treatments was found. The calculated median overall survival time for the 34 dogs was 166 days [95% confidence interval (CI) 148-184]. The ½ year and one-year survival was 41.2% (95% CI 24.8-56.9) and 22.7% (95% CI 9.9-37.4), respectively. In dogs treated with PL-DOX, a desquamating dermatitis like palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (PPES) was seen in two dogs, while three other dogs showed anaphylactic reactions. Cardiotoxicity was not seen in either treatment groups.