title: Predictors of outcome in dogs with subcutaneous or intramuscular hemangiosarcoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify prognostic factors in a large group of dogs with subcutaneous or intramuscular hemangiosarcoma (HSA) or both. Design-Multi-institutional retrospective cohort study. Animals-71 dogs with subcutaneous or intramuscular HSA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of affected dogs were reviewed. The following factors were evaluated for an association with outcome: dog age and sex, clinical signs, anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutrophilia, tumor stage at diagnosis, achievement of complete excision, intramuscular involvement, presence of gross disease, tumor recurrence, and treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 71 cases identified, 16 (29%) had intramuscular tumor involvement. For all dogs, median time to tumor progression and overall survival time (OST) were 116 and 172 days, respectively; 25% survived to 1 year. Univariate analysis identified presence of clinical signs or metastasis at diagnosis, dog age, tumor size, use of any surgery, and presence of gross disease as predictors of time to tumor progression and OST. There was no significant difference in survival time between dogs with respect to type of HSA. Multivariate analysis confirmed that adequate local tumor control, tumor diameter ≤ 4 cm, presence of metastasis at diagnosis, and presence of gross disease were significantly associated with OST.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subcutaneous and intramuscular HSA remains a heterogeneous group of tumors that generally carries a poor prognosis. Adequate local control of smaller tumors with no associated clinical signs or metastasis may provide the best chance of long-term survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA. kbshiu@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kai-Biu
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Shiu
authors.forename: Andrea B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Flory
authors.forename: Christie L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Jackie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wypij
authors.forename: Corey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Ilene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kurzman
authors.forename: Ruthanne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome