title: Marginal excision of low-grade spindle cell sarcoma of canine extremities: 35 dogs (1996-2006).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate recurrence rate and disease-free interval (DFI) of dogs with low-grade soft tissue spindle cell sarcoma of the extremities treated by marginal excision.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs (n=35) with soft tissue low-grade spindle cell sarcoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records were reviewed and dogs that had marginal surgical resection of low-grade soft tissue spindle cell sarcoma at or distal to elbow and stifle were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histopathologic margins were dirty (12 dogs), clean but close (12), and clean (11). Follow-up after surgery occurred from 210 to 2202 days (minimum, 180 days). Local recurrence and metastatic rates were 10.8% and 0%, respectively. Median DFI and survival time were not reached, because <50% of dogs died of disease-related events. Mean DFI and mean survival time were 697.8 days (95% CI: 559.7-836 days) and 703.5 days (95% CI: 566.6-840.5 days), respectively. There were no significant differences among survival functions stratified by histologic margins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Marginal surgical excision without adjuvant treatment of low-grade soft tissue spindle cell sarcoma of the extremities results in a low local recurrence rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-grade spindle cell sarcomas located at or distal to the elbow and stifle joints can be excised without need for wide or radical surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Hygiene and Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Damiano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stefanello
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morello
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roccabianca
authors.forename: Selina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iussich
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nassuato
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martano
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Squassino
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Avallone
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Romussi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buracco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000662:veterinary; D012086:Reoperation / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome