Timely adjuvant chemotherapy improves outcome in dogs with non-metastatic splenic hemangiosarcoma undergoing splenectomy |
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| Authors: | Eugenio Faroni Silvia Sabattini Dina Guerra Chiara Iannuzzi Carmit Chalfon Chiara Agnoli Damiano Stefanello Gerry Polton Sofia Ramos Marina Aralla Raffaele Ciaccini Armando Foglia Samuel Okonji Laura Marconato |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy;2. Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy;3. North Downs Specialist Referrals, Bletchingley, UK;4. Pronto Soccorso Veterinario Laudense, Lodi, Italy;5. Clinica Veterinaria Ponte Felcino, Perugia, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Timely delivery of adjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to be advantageous in many human cancers and canine osteosarcoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to improve outcome for canine splenic hemangiosarcoma. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate whether timely adjuvant chemotherapy administration resulted in better outcome in dogs with non-metastatic splenic hemangiosarcoma undergoing splenectomy. Medical records were searched for dogs with non-metastatic, splenic hemangiosarcoma that received splenectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy. The number of days from surgery to the first chemotherapy dose (StoC) was evaluated to identify the cut-off value associated with the best survival advantage. StoC and other possible prognostic factors were tested for influence on time to metastasis (TTM) and overall survival (OS). Seventy dogs were included. Median StoC was 20 days (range: 4–70). The time interval associated with the greatest survival benefit was 21 days. Median TTM and OS of dogs with StoC ≤ 21 days were significantly longer than those with StoC >21 days (TTM: 163 vs. 118 days, p = .001; OS: 238 vs. 146 days, p < .001). On multivariable analysis, StoC >21 days was the only variable significantly associated with increased risk of tumour progression (HR 2.1, p = .010) and death (HR 2.3; p = .008). Starting adjuvant chemotherapy within 21 days of surgery may be associated with a survival benefit in dogs with non-metastatic splenic hemangiosarcoma, possibly due to the early targeting of newly recruited metastatic cells after surgery. |
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| Keywords: | canine doxorubicin micrometastasis prognosis spleen surgery |
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