title: Clinical outcome of 42 dogs with scapular tumors treated by scapulectomy: a Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology (VSSO) retrospective study (1995-2010).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report signalment, clinical signs, preoperative staging tests, histologic diagnosis, surgical, and oncologic outcomes including postoperative limb use, in dogs with scapular tumors treated by scapulectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs (n = 42) with scapular tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records (1995-2010) from 6 hospitals were searched for dogs with scapular tumors treated by scapulectomy. Data retrieved were: signalment, weight, percentage of scapula removed, histologic diagnosis, postoperative limb use, adjunctive therapy, disease free interval (DFI), and survival time (ST). Individual variables were modeled with a Cox proportional hazard model accounting for censoring to determine risk factors for decreased DFI and ST. For categorical variables, Kaplan-Meier survival plots as well as mean and median survival times (MSTs) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subtotal scapulectomy was performed in 18 dogs (42.9%). Osteosarcoma (OSA) was diagnosed in 27 dogs (64.3%). Limb use was evaluated immediately after surgery in 41 dogs. Information on limb use at other times (1, 2, 3, and >3 months) postoperatively was also available for some dogs and was good to excellent overall. Only adjunctive chemotherapy had a positive significant effect on DFI (P = .00011) and ST (P = .0003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Canine scapular tumors can be treated effectively by scapulectomy and limb use is fair to excellent for most dogs. OSA was the most common scapular tumor. Overall prognosis for scapular OSA is similar to appendicular OSA at other sites and use of adjunctive chemotherapy prolonged the overall DFI and MST.
authors.affiliation: Department for Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Montinaro
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Boston
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buracco
authors.forename: William T N
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Culp
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romanelli
authors.forename: Rod
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Straw
authors.forename: Stewart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000662:veterinary; D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D012540:Scapula / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents