title: Clinical features, treatment options, and outcome in dogs with thymoma: 116 cases (1999-2010).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe clinical signs, diagnostic findings, treatment, and outcome and determine factors associated with survival time for dogs with thymoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multi-institutional retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  116 dogs with thymoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records were searched for information regarding signalment, physical examination findings, results of laboratory testing and diagnostic imaging, medical and surgical treatment, and survival data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 116 dogs with thymoma, 44 (38%) were Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. Twenty of 116 (17%) dogs had signs of myasthenia gravis (diagnosis was confirmed for 13 dogs). At the time of thymoma diagnosis, 40 (34%) dogs had hypercalcemia, 8 (7%) dogs had a concurrent immune-mediated disease, and 31 (27%) dogs had another tumor; 16 (14%) dogs developed a second nonthymic tumor at a later date. Tumor excision was performed for 84 dogs, after which 14 (17%) had tumor recurrence; prognosis was good for dogs undergoing a second surgery. Median survival time with and without surgical treatment was 635 and 76 days, respectively. Presence of another tumor at the time of thymoma diagnosis, lack of surgical excision, and higher pathological stage were significantly associated with shorter survival time. Hypercalcemia and presence of myasthenia gravis or megaesophagus at the time of thymoma diagnosis, histopathologic subtype of thymoma, or tumor development at a later date was not associated with survival time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dogs with thymoma, even those with a large tumor burden or a paraneoplastic syndrome, had a good prognosis following surgery. Surgical treatment, tumor stage, and the presence of a second tumor at diagnosis influenced survival time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706.
authors.forename: Cecilia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Robat
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cesario
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gaeta
authors.forename: Mairin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schrempp
authors.forename: Ruthanne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013945:Thymoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome