Massive hepatocellular carcinoma in dogs: 48 cases (1992-2002).
OBJECTIVE
To determine clinical signs, diagnostic findings, outcome, and prognostic factors in dogs treated surgically for massive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and compare survival times of surgically and conservatively treated dogs.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
48 dogs.


METHODS
Medical records were examined for clinical signs, diagnostic and surgical findings, and postoperative outcome. Dogs were allocated into surgery and nonsurgery groups depending on whether curative-intent liver lobectomy was performed. Data from the surgical and nonsurgical groups were analyzed to identify prognostic factors and determine and compare rates of tumor control and survival time.


RESULTS
42 dogs were treated surgically, and 6 were managed conservatively. In the surgery group, intraoperative mortality rate was 4.8% with no local recurrence, metastatic rate was 4.8%, and median survival time was > 1,460 days (range, 1 to 1,460 days). High alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities were associated with poor prognosis. Median survival time for the nonsurgery group was 270 days (range, 0 to 415 days), which was significantly less than that of surgically treated dogs.


CONCLUSIONS
Liver lobectomy is recommended for dogs with massive HCC because tumor-related mortality rate was 15.4 times higher in dogs in the nonsurgery group, compared with the surgery group. Tumor control was excellent after surgical resection with no local recurrence and a low metastatic rate. Prognostic factors were identified, but their clinical relevance was uncertain because only 9.5% of dogs in the surgery group died as a result of their disease.
Liptak
Julius M
JM
Animal Cancer Center, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Dernell
William S
WS
Monnet
Eric
E
Powers
Barbara E
BE
Bachand
Annette M
AM
Kenney
Juanita G
JG
Withrow
Stephen J
SJ
D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000601:surgery; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase