59 - SAM

What are the main components of cancer staging?

Evaluate overall health

What are the four major considerations when selecting staging diagnostics?

Signalment

How does increasing cancer stage generally affect prognosis?

Increasing stage is generally a negative prognostic finding

What is the typical metastatic route for carcinomas and which sites should be evaluated?

Lymphatic spread

What is the typical metastatic route for sarcomas and which sites should be evaluated?

Hematogenous spread

Which organs should specifically be evaluated for metastatic mast cell tumors?

Liver

Why is knowing the tumor type important before selecting staging diagnostics?

Different tumor types have different biologic behaviors and metastatic patterns

What are the three components of the TNM staging system?

T = tumor size/extent

Which cancer types commonly use the TNM staging system?

Solid tumors including carcinomas

What staging system is used for canine lymphoma and what are its stages?

WHO stages I-V

What does WHO stage I lymphoma indicate?

Single lymph node involvement

What does WHO stage II and III lymphoma indicate?

Stage II = regional lymph nodes and mediastinum on the same side of the diaphragm

What does WHO stage IV and V lymphoma indicate?

Stage IV = liver and spleen involvement with or without stages I-III

What four questions should be considered when designing a multimodality cancer treatment plan?

Localized or systemic therapy

Why is multimodality therapy used instead of relying on one treatment modality?

Many cancers are refractory to single-modality therapy

What are the basic principles of multimodality therapy?

Each modality must have proven efficacy

What is the typical treatment approach for a localized canine cutaneous mast cell tumor on an extremity when curative surgical margins are difficult to achieve?

Surgery to remove macroscopic disease followed by radiation to treat residual microscopic disease

Why is chemotherapy added to surgery for canine appendicular osteosarcoma?

Osteosarcoma has a high metastatic rate

What is the treatment approach for canine appendicular osteosarcoma described in the lecture?

Forequarter amputation to remove bulky disease and palliate pain followed by systemic chemotherapy

Why might radiation therapy not be selected for every cancer patient?

Some tumors are not inherently radiation sensitive