Evaluation of serum ferritin as a tumor marker for canine histiocytic sarcoma.
BACKGROUND
Canine histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is an aggressive malignancy. Hyperferritinemia has been documented in dogs with HS and could serve as a tumor marker aiding in diagnosis and treatment. In people, hyperferritinemia is found in inflammatory diseases, liver disease, and hemolysis, and thus may occur in dogs with these conditions.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if serum ferritin concentration is a tumor marker for canine HS.


METHODS
Dogs with HS (18), inflammatory diseases (20), liver disease (24), immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) (15), and lymphoma (23).


METHODS
Prospective, observational, cohort study: Serum ferritin concentration was measured at initial diagnosis. Parametric methods were used to compare mean log ferritin concentrations among disease categories. Receiver-operating characteristic curves and likelihood ratios were used to evaluate serum ferritin concentration as a tumor marker.


RESULTS
Varying proportions of dogs with IMHA (94%), HS (89%), liver disease (79%), lymphoma (65%), and inflammatory diseases (40%) had hyperferritinemia. Dogs with IMHA had significantly higher mean ferritin concentration than dogs in all other categories. Dogs with HS had significantly higher mean ferritin concentration than those in the inflammatory disease and lymphoma categories. Mean serum ferritin concentration was not significantly different between dogs with HS and those with liver disease. Decision thresholds were determined to distinguish IMHA and HS from the other diseases associated with hyperferritinemia.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperferritinemia is common in dogs with HS and, after IMHA is ruled out, the degree of hyperferritinemia may be useful in differentiating dogs with HS from dogs with inflammatory diseases, liver disease, and lymphoma.
Friedrichs
K R
KR
Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, WI 53716, USA. friedrik@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu
Thomas
C
C
Plier
M
M
Andrews
G A
GA
Chavey
P S
PS
Young
K M
KM
D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D054747:Histiocytic Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005293:Ferritins