The 2-tier grading system identifies canine cutaneous and/or subcutaneous mast cell tumors with aggressive biological behavior regardless of growth model.

Histologic grading of canine cutaneous mast cell tumors (cMCTs) has prognostic and therapeutic implications, yet validation for subcutaneous MCTs (scMCTs) is lacking. For scMCTs with or without dermal invasion, determining their biological behavior remains poorly standardized and sometimes sparks controversy. This prospective study aimed to assess the prognostic utility of the 2-tier histologic grading system in MCTs with different growth models (GMs) and explore the prognostic impact of the GM itself. We assessed 6 histologic GM categories: solely cMCT (C-SC0), cMCT with superficial (C-SC1) or deep subcutaneous (C-SC2) involvement, solely scMCT (SC-C0), and scMCT with deep (SC-C1) or superficial (SC-C2) infiltration of the dermis. Ninety-one MCTs from 76 dogs undergoing excision and regional/sentinel lymphadenectomy were examined. GM classification identified 11 (12%) C-SC0 tumors, 12 (13%) C-SC1, 15 (16%) C-SC2, 21 (23%) SC-C0, 15 (16%) SC-C1, and 17 (19%) SC-C2. Mitotic count, 2-tier grade, nodal involvement, surgical margins, and outcome were stratified according to GM. scMCTs lacking dermal invasion, historically associated with a benign clinical course, had a poor prognosis in 10% of cases. cMCTs exhibiting deep subcutaneous involvement included the largest percentage of high-grade tumors (33%), had the highest occurrence of overt nodal metastases (33%), and had the lowest 1-year survival rate (86%). Histologic grade was confirmed as a relevant prognostic factor, surpassing nodal involvement and histologic margin status. The 2-tier histologic grading enabled the identification of all MCTs with aggressive biological behavior, regardless of their cutaneous or subcutaneous location.

Morphologic, phenotypic, and genotypic similarities between primary tumors and corresponding 3D cell cultures grown in a repeatable system-preliminary results.

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures are the new frontier for reproducing the tumor micro-environment in vitro. The aims of the study were (1) to establish primary 3D cell cultures from canine spontaneous neoplasms and (2) to demonstrate the morphological, phenotypic and genotypic similarities between the primary canine neoplasms and the corresponding 3D cultures, through the expression of tumor differentiation markers. RESULTS: Seven primary tumors were collected, including 4 carcinomas and 3 soft tissue sarcomas. 3D cell cultures reproduced the morphological features of the primary tumors and showed an overlapping immunophenotype of the primary epithelial tumors. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the growth of stromal cells and macrophages admixed with the neoplastic epithelial component, reproducing the tumor microenvironment. Mesenchymal 3D cultures reproduced the immunophenotype of the primary tumor completely in 2 out of 3 examined cases while a discordant expression was documented for a single marker in one case. No single nucleotide variants or small indel were detected in TP53 or MDM2 genes, both in primary tumors and in 3D cell cultures specimens. In one sample, MDM2 amplicons were preferentially increased in number compared to TP53 ones, indicating amplification of MDM2, detectable both in the primary tumor and in the corresponding cell culture specimen. CONCLUSION: Here we demonstrate a good cell morphology, phenotype and genetic profile overlap between primary tumors and the corresponding 3D cultures grown in a repeatable system.

Predicting outcome in dogs with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with a novel immune landscape signature.

Canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (cDLBCL) is characterized by high mortality and clinical heterogeneity. Although chemo-immunotherapy improves outcome, treatment response remains mainly unpredictable. To identify a set of immune-related genes aberrantly regulated and impacting the prognosis, we explored the immune landscape of cDLBCL by NanoString. The immune gene expression profile of 48 fully clinically characterized cDLBCLs treated with chemo-immunotherapy was analyzed with the NanoString nCounter Canine IO Panel using RNA extracted from tumor tissue paraffin blocks. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to design a prognostic gene signature. The Cox model identified a 6-gene signature (IL2RB, BCL6, TXK, C2, CDKN2B, ITK) strongly associated with lymphoma-specific survival, from which a risk score was calculated. Dogs were assigned to high-risk or low-risk groups according to the median score. Thirty-nine genes were differentially expressed between the 2 groups. Gene set analysis highlighted an upregulation of genes involved in complement activation, cytotoxicity, and antigen processing in low-risk dogs compared with high-risk dogs, whereas genes associated with cell cycle were downregulated in dogs with a lower risk. In line with these results, cell type profiling suggested the abundance of natural killer and CD8+ cells in low-risk dogs compared with high-risk dogs. Furthermore, the prognostic power of the risk score was validated in an independent cohort of cDLBCL. In conclusion, the 6-gene-derived risk score represents a robust biomarker in predicting the prognosis in cDLBCL. Moreover, our results suggest that enhanced tumor antigen recognition and cytotoxic activity are crucial in achieving a more effective response to chemo-immunotherapy.

Comparison of sonographic and CT findings for the identification of renal nodules in dogs and cats.

Ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) are used to diagnose neoplastic and non-neoplastic focal renal lesions in dogs and cats; however, comparative studies between these two diagnostic tools are lacking. The aim of this retrospective, methods comparison study was to evaluate and compare the performance of US compared to CT in identifying at least one renal nodule in animals with confirmed focal renal lesions. Imaging studies of animals with uni- or bilateral renal nodules smaller than 3 cm that underwent both US and CT and that had a pathologically confirmed diagnosis were reviewed. Animals with renal cysts and infarcts were excluded. Recorded features for both modalities included the following: shape, size, number, localization, margins, renal profile. For CT only, recorded features also included attenuation (HU) and pattern of enhancement.  For US only, recorded features also included echogenicity, echostructure, and rate of visibility. Final diagnosis was obtained by cytology or histopathology. Using CT, lesions were identified in all 39 (100%) kidneys of 18 dogs and seven cats. Most lesions were multiple, cortical, well-defined, iso-attenuating (precontrast), hypo-attenuating, and moderately enhancing (postcontrast). Using US, lesions were identified in 29 of 39 (74%) kidneys. Overall, nine (31%) lesions were poorly visible; 10 (26%) kidneys appeared normal; in 17 (59%) organs, lesions' number was underestimated. Isoechoic, non-protruding lesions were difficult to identify by US. Ultrasonography underestimated renal lesions compared to CT in 59% of the kidneys (P = 0.001). Final diagnoses included metastatic disease (n = 16), infiltration by feline lymphoma (n = 4), primary neoplasia (n = 3), and non-neoplastic benign lesions (n = 2).

Longitudinal lymph node step-sectioning for the identification of metastatic disease in canine mast cell tumor.

Lymph node (LN) metastasis in canine mast cell tumor (MCT) can affect prognosis and postsurgical treatment recommendations; however, routine histological single-section examination may underestimate the incidence of metastases. This prospective study aimed at determining whether longitudinal step-sectioning of the entire LN allows for a more reliable detection of metastases. Dogs with MCT undergoing resection of the primary tumor and regional lymphadenectomy were enrolled. Formalin-fixed LNs were bisected longitudinally, both halves were embedded in paraffin and histological sections prepared at 200 µm steps. The nodal mast cells were classified according to the Weishaar classification. First-section evaluation (FSE; ie, examination of the first section obtained from the blocks) and whole LN step-section evaluation (SSE) were compared. Fifty-eight LNs were included. The median number of sections per LN was 6 (range, 3-28). FSE with toluidine blue (TB) revealed 27 (47%) nonmetastatic (HN0), 14 (24%) premetastatic (HN1), 9 (15%) early metastatic (HN2), and 8 (14%) overtly metastatic (HN3) LNs. SSE with TB resulted in upgrading the LN status in 2 cases (HN2 to HN3; HN0 to HN1). Evaluation of the first section plus an additional step-section resulted in 100% accuracy. Compared with SSE with TB, the accuracy of FSE with HE was 98% for HN3 LNs and 74% for HN2 LNs. FSE appears to reliably allow for the detection of LN metastasis in MCT, although examination of a further parallel section at a 200 µm step may increase the accuracy. A metachromatic stain is recommended for the identification of early metastases.

Hypermethylation-Mediated Silencing of CIDEA, MAL and PCDH17 Tumour Suppressor Genes in Canine DLBCL: From Multi-Omics Analyses to Mechanistic Studies.

Gene expression is controlled by epigenetic deregulation, a hallmark of cancer. The DNA methylome of canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (cDLBCL), the most frequent malignancy of B-lymphocytes in dog, has recently been investigated, suggesting that aberrant hypermethylation of CpG loci is associated with gene silencing. Here, we used a multi-omics approach (DNA methylome, transcriptome and copy number variations) combined with functional in vitro assays, to identify putative tumour suppressor genes subjected to DNA methylation in cDLBCL. Using four cDLBCL primary cell cultures and CLBL-1 cells, we found that CiDEA, MAL and PCDH17, which were significantly suppressed in DLBCL samples, were hypermethylated and also responsive (at the DNA, mRNA and protein level) to pharmacological unmasking with hypomethylating drugs and histone deacetylase inhibitors. The regulatory mechanism underneath the methylation-dependent inhibition of those target genes expression was then investigated through luciferase and in vitro methylation assays. In the most responsive CpG-rich regions, an in silico analysis allowed the prediction of putative transcription factor binding sites influenced by DNA methylation. Interestingly, regulatory elements for AP2, MZF1, NF-kB, PAX5 and SP1 were commonly identified in all three genes. This study provides a foundation for characterisation and experimental validation of novel epigenetically-dysregulated pathways in cDLBCL.

A retrospective study on prophylactic regional lymphadenectomy versus nodal observation only in the management of dogs with stage I, completely resected, low-grade cutaneous mast cell tumors.

BACKGROUND: While lymphadenectomy of metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) has been associated with improved outcome, the clinical utility of prophylactic lymphadenectomy in dogs with stage I cutaneous mast cell tumors (cMCTs) remains a controversial topic. To assess the therapeutic role of lymphadenectomy of uninvolved regional LNs, the long-term outcome of cMCT-bearing dogs with cytologically negative and surgically unresected regional LNs (observation only, OO) was compared with that of dogs with surgically resected and histologically negative regional LNs (prophylactic regional lymphadenectomy, PRL). RESULTS: A retrospective analysis of 64 dogs with a low-grade, completely resected stage I cMCT was performed: 35 (54.7%) dogs were subjected to OO and 29 (45.3%) underwent PRL. Dogs were monitored for a median of 813 and 763 days in the OO group and PRL group, respectively. The number of dogs undergoing MCT progression was significantly higher in the OO group (P = 0.028) and curve comparison revealed a tendency to a better time to progression in the PRL group (P = 0.058). No significant difference in survival time (P = 0.294) was observed between dogs in the OO and PRL groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that lack of immediate lymphadenectomy was associated with a higher risk for tumor progression. This preliminary judgement, reinforced by the findings that lymphadenectomy was well tolerated in all cases, and that histopathology provides the definitive assessment of the nodal pathological status, may suggest that prophylactic lymphadenectomy is indicated in the management of stage I MCTs. Larger prospective studies are warranted for generating clinical evidence of this latter hypothesis.

International Guidelines for Veterinary Tumor Pathology: A Call to Action.

Standardization of tumor assessment lays the foundation for validation of grading systems, permits reproducibility of oncologic studies among investigators, and increases confidence in the significance of study results. Currently, there is minimal methodological standardization for assessing tumors in veterinary medicine, with few attempts to validate published protocols and grading schemes. The current article attempts to address these shortcomings by providing standard guidelines for tumor assessment parameters and protocols for evaluating specific tumor types. More detailed information is available in the Supplemental Files, the intention of which is 2-fold: publication as part of this commentary, but more importantly, these will be available as "living documents" on a website (www.vetcancerprotocols.org), which will be updated as new information is presented in the peer-reviewed literature. Our hope is that veterinary pathologists will agree that this initiative is needed, and will contribute to and utilize this information for routine diagnostic work and oncologic studies. Journal editors and reviewers can utilize checklists to ensure publications include sufficient detail and standardized methods of tumor assessment. To maintain the relevance of the guidelines and protocols, it is critical that the information is periodically updated and revised as new studies are published and validated with the intent of providing a repository of this information. Our hope is that this initiative (a continuation of efforts published in this journal in 2011) will facilitate collaboration and reproducibility between pathologists and institutions, increase case numbers, and strengthen clinical research findings, thus ensuring continued progress in veterinary oncologic pathology and improving patient care.

Radiation therapy for the treatment of canine progressive cutaneous angiomatosis: Description of 2 cases.

Two dogs with histologically confirmed progressive cutaneous angiomatosis were presented because of extensive and progressive cutaneous lesions of 1 hind limb causing pain and lameness. Radiation therapy was offered to treat disease recurrence after amputation in the first case and as first treatment in the second case. Metronomic therapy was added in both dogs. Complete and partial regression of the cutaneous lesions was achieved, respectively, with a period of 31 months of disease-free interval (first case) and 12 months of stable disease (second case). Self-limiting grades I and II acute side effects were observed. Radiation therapy can be an alternative to surgery in the treatment of inoperable cutaneous progressive angiomatosis.

Radiothérapie pour le traitement de l'angiomatose cutanée progressive canine : description de 2 cas. Deux chiens ayant un diagnostic d'angiomatose cutanée progressive confirmé par histologie ont été présentés en raison de lésions cutanées vastes et progressives d'un membre postérieur qui causaient de la douleur et de la boiterie. La radiothérapie a été offerte pour traiter la récidive de la maladie après l'amputation dans le premier cas et comme premier traitement dans le deuxième cas. La thérapie métronomique a été ajoutée chez les deux chiens. Une régression complète et partielle des lésions cutanées a été obtenue, respectivement, avec un intervalle de 31 mois sans maladie (premier cas) et de 12 mois de maladie stable (deuxième cas). Des effets secondaires aigus spontanément résolutifs de grades I et II ont été observés. La radiothérapie peut représenter un traitement de remplacement à la chirurgie pour le traitement de l'angiomatose cutanée progressive inopérable.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

HYPOFRACTIONATED RADIOTHERAPY FOR MACROSCOPIC CANINE SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 50 CASES TREATED WITH A 5 × 6 GY PROTOCOL WITH OR WITHOUT METRONOMIC CHEMOTHERAPY.

Wide surgical resection or a marginal/incomplete resection followed by full-course radiation therapy is the current standard of care for canine soft tissue sarcoma. The purpose of this retrospective, descriptive, bi-institutional study was to determine the effectiveness and toxicity of a hypofractionated 5 × 6 Gy protocol on macroscopic canine soft tissue sarcoma in terms of progression-free interval (PFI) and overall survival (OS), and to identify prognostic factors for patient outcome. Dogs with macroscopic soft tissue sarcoma irradiated with 5 × 6 Gy were eligible for the study. Progression-free interval and OS were compared with respect to different tumor and patient characteristics by the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox regression analysis. Fifty dogs with macroscopic disease were included. All dogs received the same radiation therapy protocol; part of the group (n = 20) received postradiation metronomic chemotherapy. Median PFI for all cases was 419 days (95% confidence interval (CI): 287-551) and median OS was 513 days (95% CI: 368-658). Dogs with tumors on the limbs had significantly longer PFI and OS, compared with head or trunk. Increasing tumor burden decreased OS. The addition of metronomic chemotherapy yielded a significantly longer OS (757 days (95% CI: 570-944) compared with dogs that did not receive systemic treatment (286 days (95% CI: 0-518), (P = 0.023)), but did not influence progression-free interval. Toxicity was low throughout all treatments. The 5 × 6 Gy radiation therapy protocol was well tolerated and provided long PFI and OS in dogs with macroscopic soft tissue sarcoma.

First meeting of the European canine lymphoma group. Workshop: state of the art and comparative aspects in canine lymphoma. CH-Lugano, 22 June 2013.

This satellite meeting to the 12th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma was conceived to bring together European researchers focused on canine lymphoma to explore several facets of this promising model of human disease. A series of invited lectures showed striking similarities between the two diseases namely in topics related to pathogenesis, diagnosis and classification and therapy. In particular, the potential value of the model was shown at the level of the NF-kB/p65 pathway, the Bcl-2 family of proteins, Ki67 and the S-phase fraction, as well as the MMPs, VEGF and PDGF. The utility of the growing body of well-characterized canine cell lines was stressed. The value of cytology and flow cytometry as tools for diagnosis, disease progression monitoring and prognosis were emphasized, whereas the failure so far of the standard immunohistochemical panel to differentiate between germinal centre and non-germinal centre diffuse large B-cell lymphomas subtypes in dogs was discussed. Further contributions included the report of encouraging results from a chemo-immunotherapy trial administered to dogs with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, an overview on the use of radiation therapy for canine lymphoma and the role of surgery in splenic lymphoma. Altogether, the success of this meeting, attended by more than 160 participants, documents the rising interest for the spontaneous canine lymphoma model.

Histologic, Phenotypic, and Molecular Characterization of Feline Hodgkin-Like Lymphoma With Classical Reed-Sternberg Cells.

Hodgkin-like lymphoma (HLL) is a rare neoplasm in cats that shares characteristics with the human disease. The hallmark of HLL is the presence of Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells expressing CD30 and CD20. This study aimed to elucidate the clinicopathologic features, immunophenotype and clonality patterns of feline HLL. A comprehensive retrospective review of clinicopathologic and molecular data of nodal lymphomas over a 6-year period was conducted in MyLav laboratory. Twenty-four cases were identified. All cats presented with submandibular or retropharyngeal lymphadenopathy. Histopathologic examination revealed a multifocal to diffuse proliferation of medium-to-large lymphoid cells with low mitotic activity, interspersed RS cells, and a heterogeneous inflammatory infiltrate comprising T-cells, plasma cells and neutrophils. In addition, extensive necrosis was a consistent finding. Immunohistochemistry showed a variable membranous CD20 and nuclear PAX5 expression in neoplastic cells, while RS cells displayed only mild to moderate CD20 positivity and were negative to PAX5. In 21/24 cases (87.5%), RS cells were diffusely CD30-positive. PARR analysis demonstrated clonal B-cell expansion in 60% of cases, with the remaining 40% exhibiting polyclonality. For the 10 cats with available follow-up, the prognosis was generally favourable, with only two cats succumbing to progressive disease. In conclusion, diagnosing feline HLL is challenging. The expression of CD30 and CD20 by RS cells should be considered a hallmark of the disease, but only after excluding differential diagnoses such as anaplastic B-cell lymphoma and granulomatous lymphadenopathy.

Incorporation of Biologic Variables Into the Staging for Canine Cutaneous and Subcutaneous Mast Cell Tumours: Proposal of the UBo pTNM System.

Canine cutaneous mast cell tumours (MCTs) are currently staged based on the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, which has remained unchanged since its initial formulation. Our study aimed to assess the reliability of a novel pTNM staging system, which incorporates tumour extent (T), lymph node involvement (N), presence of distant metastases (M) and the two-tier histologic grade. We analysed medical records of dogs with one or more cutaneous/subcutaneous completely staged MCT, undergoing tumour excision with lymphadenectomy, unless distant metastases were present, in which cases, medical therapy was administered. Dogs were categorized into three stages: I (T1-2N0M0), II (T1-2N1M0) and III (distant metastases). Stages I and II were further divided based on histologic grade into 'low' and 'high'. Substage b was defined as the presence of tumour diameter of ≥3 cm and/or ulceration. Of 226 dogs, 87 (38.5%) were in Stage I (I-low, n = 75; I-high, n = 12), 107 (47.3%) in Stage II (II-low, n = 59; II-high, n = 48), and 32 (14.2%) in Stage III. The newly proposed staging system was able to significantly stratify the population for both time to progression and tumour-specific survival. Compared to Stage I-low, the risk of progression increased significantly for Stage I-high (18.3 times), Stage II-low (8.5 times), Stage II-high (41.5 times) and Stage III (110.3 times). The staging system was highly prognostic for both cutaneous and subcutaneous MCTs. Prospective validation studies are essential to compare this new system with the current WHO staging and further validate its accuracy and clinical utility.

Spotlight on capecitabine for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic carcinoma of various origin: A retrospective study of 25 dogs.

Capecitabine, the oral prodrug of 5-fluorouracil, is indicated in people to treat various malignant epithelial cancers. In dogs, capecitabine has not been extensively evaluated. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate toxicity and preliminary efficacy of single agent capecitabine in dogs with advanced malignant epithelial cancers of any site, for which no effective therapy existed, conventional treatment failed or was declined. Capecitabine was administered orally at 750 mg/m2 from day 1 to 14, followed by 1-week rest period, given as 3-week cycles. Safety evaluation was performed after 2 cycles, and every 2-3 cycles thereafter. Tumour response was determined every 2-3 cycles. Twenty-five dogs with hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 6), lung papillary carcinoma (n = 4), anal sac adenocarcinoma (n = 3), colic adenocarcinoma (n = 2), and other individually represented epithelial cancers (n = 10) were included. Dogs received a median of 4 cycles (range, 2-43) for a median of 84 days (range, 42-913). Toxicity occurred in 17 (68.0%) dogs; the most frequent adverse events were gastrointestinal, with the majority being self-resolving and of mild grade. Of the 22 dogs with macroscopic disease, 3 (13.6%) achieved partial remission, 16 (72.7%) were stable and 3 (13.6%) progressed; overall clinical benefit rate was 86.4%. Median progression-free interval was 93 days (95% CI 42-154; range, 1-521) and median tumour-specific survival was 273 days (95% CI 116-482; range 45-913). These findings suggest that capecitabine is an attractive option for the treatment of several types of carcinomas in dogs. Prospective studies are warranted to optimize the scheduling of capecitabine and confirm its efficacy.

Predictive value of TP53 RNAscope®in situ hybridization and p53 immunohistochemistry for TP53 mutational status in canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

TP53 mutations are associated with short survival and poor treatment response in canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (cDLBCL). The expression of TP53 by RNAscope® in situ hybridization and p53 by immunohistochemistry (IHC) was investigated in 37 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cDLBCL, to assess their correlation with TP53 mutational status and to evaluate their prognostic value. TP53 was detected in all samples by RNAscope®. Ten of 37 (27%) cases expressed p53 by IHC, with highly variable percentage of positive cells. TP53 RNAscope® scores and p53 IHC results were not correlated. The expression of TP53 by RNAscope® was not influenced by its mutational status. Conversely, p53 IHC and TP53 mutations were significantly associated. p53 IHC predicted TP53 genetic mutations with high accuracy (97.3%). All TP53-mutated samples carrying missense mutations exhibited p53 expression by IHC, while all wild-type cases and a single case with frameshift insertion were negative. In univariable analysis, p53 IHC was associated with shorter time to progression (TTP) and lymphoma-specific survival (LSS). Nevertheless, in multivariable analysis, only treatment significantly affected TTP and LSS. These findings suggest p53 IHC is an accurate, cost-effective tool for predicting TP53 mutations in cDLBCL, unlike TP53 RNAscope®, though its prognostic value requires further validation.

Role of CT in the Staging of Colorectal Tumors: A Preliminary Study on 10 Dogs.

This study aimed to define the CT features of colorectal tumors in dogs and assess CT's role in tumor staging. It was a retrospective, multicenter, descriptive study involving dogs with a cyto-histopathological diagnosis of colorectal tumors and high-quality pre- and post-contrast CT scans of the abdomen. CT successfully identified colorectal lesions in all cases, showing variations such as wall thickening, presence of masses, and luminal stenosis. It also detected lymph node involvement. Overall, this study helps us to understand the CT features of both epithelial and mesenchymal colorectal tumors, emphasizing CT's importance in staging and surgical planning for affected dogs. Larger studies are needed to identify specific CT findings for different colorectal neoplasms.

Reassigned surgical margins after neoadjuvant chemotherapy results in low local recurrence in dogs with mast cell tumours.

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is delivered before surgery to allow less extensive tumour resection, but the optimal surgical margin width after NAC is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of reassigned margins on local recurrence after NAC in dogs with mast cell tumours (MCTs). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted for dogs with MCTs undergoing NAC consisting of vinblastine and prednisolone, subsequent tumour resection and lymphadenectomy, and a minimum follow-up of 6 months. Surgical margins were reassigned based on the size of the MCT after NAC. Pre- and post-NAC measurements of MCTs were recorded. The margin status was assessed with a combined radial and tangential sectioning technique; pre-NAC MCT cytograde and lymph node (LN) cytological status were compared with the Kiupel grade and Weishaar stage, respectively. RESULTS: Twenty-two dogs were included. MCT shrinkage after NAC consistently occurred, with a median reduction rate of 40.4% (range 5%-94.5%). Margins were complete in 15 of 22 dogs, and two MCTs and three LNs appeared histologically downgraded and downstaged, respectively. Two (9.1%) MCTs recurred. LIMITATIONS: The limitations of this study were the small sample size and relatively short follow-up. CONCLUSION: NAC leads to shrinkage of canine MCTs, with the resulting reassigned surgical margins being associated with a low recurrence rate.

Splenic stromal sarcomas in dogs: Outcome and clinicopathological prognostic factors in 32 cases.

Due to the low frequency and the changes in diagnostic techniques and terminology during the last few years, only little clinical information is available on splenic stromal sarcoma (SSS). This multi-institutional study aimed at gathering clinical cases of SSS in dogs and investigates their clinical behaviour, as well as analyse possible clinicopathological prognostic factors, including the use of adjuvant therapy. Dogs with a histologically confirmed SSS that underwent splenectomy were retrospectively included. To be included in the study, either FFPE tissue blocks or multiple tissue sections had to be available for histopathologic and immunohistochemical revision. Clinical and pathological variables, along with adjuvant therapy data, were collected. Cumulative incidence of metastatic disease was analysed through univariate and bivariate analyses. The impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on metastasis incidence and survival was assessed, considering an estimated propensity score. A total of 32 dogs were included. Among them, 22 developed metastases with an incidence of 37.5%, 59.38%, and 65.94% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Univariate analysis identified mitotic count, total scoring, and necrosis as prognostic factors. In bivariate analysis, mitotic count remained prognostic. The administration of adjuvant chemotherapy did not have an impact on metastasis incidence or survival time. The study found that dogs with SSSs are at high risk of metastasis, although a small subgroup may experience longer survival after splenectomy. Mitotic count was the only variable having a reliable prognostic impact. Adjuvant chemotherapy did not appear to decrease the incidence of metastasis or prolong survival in these dogs.