Outcome of dogs with high-grade soft tissue sarcomas treated with and without adjuvant doxorubicin chemotherapy: 39 cases (1996-2004).
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of adjuvant doxorubicin chemotherapy on outcome in dogs with high-grade (grade 3) soft tissue sarcomas (HGSTSs).


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
39 dogs.


METHODS
Medical records of dogs with HGSTSs were reviewed. Dogs treated with surgery alone or receiving single-agent doxorubicin chemotherapy postoperatively were included in the study. Owners and referring veterinarians were contacted for follow-up information. Slides from histologic sections were reviewed to confirm the diagnosis of HGSTSs. Cases in which follow-up examination was not performed and radiation therapy or chemotherapy other than doxorubicin was administered were excluded.


RESULTS
39 dogs met inclusion criteria. Twenty-one dogs received adjuvant doxorubicin. Tumor-, patient-, and treatment-related variables were not significantly associated with measured outcomes including local, metastatic, and overall disease-free intervals as well as survival time. Overall median disease-free interval was 724 days with a median survival time of 856 days for all dogs.


CONCLUSIONS
Adjuvant doxorubicin-based chemotherapy did not benefit this population of dogs with HGSTSs. Outcome for visceral HGSTSs was similar to that of nonvisceral HGSTSs in these cases.
Selting
Kim A
KA
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
Powers
Barbara E
BE
Thompson
Laura J
LJ
Mittleman
Elise
E
Tyler
Jeff W
JW
Lafferty
Mary H
MH
Withrow
Stephen J
SJ
D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D004317:Doxorubicin