title: Evaluation of lymph node aspirates at diagnosis and relapse in dogs with high-grade multicentric lymphoma and comparison with survival time.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Canine high-grade multicentric lymphoma, a common disease with variable response to chemotherapy, is often diagnosed using cytology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to compare cytologic features of canine peripheral lymph node aspirates collected at diagnosis and at relapse, and evaluate their usefulness in predicting survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytologic scoring based on a rubric and nuclear morphometry analyses were performed on cytologic smears collected at diagnosis and at relapse. Scores at diagnosis and relapse were compared by paired t-test and evaluated in relation to time from diagnosis to remission, remission to relapse, relapse to death, and total survival time, using the Cox proportional-hazards regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Number of mitoses and total cytologic score were significantly higher at relapse compared to diagnosis (P < .05). None of the nuclear morphometry measures were significantly different between diagnosis and relapse. The presence of binucleated or multinucleated cells at diagnosis was associated with a shorter remission and decreased total survival (P < .05). Increased mean nucleoli at relapse was associated with longer remission and total survival (P < .05). Increased minimum nuclear radius and diameter at diagnosis were associated with a decreased time from relapse to death (P < .05). Several nuclear morphometry measures at relapse were associated with a shorter time from diagnosis to remission (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Number of mitoses and total score were higher at relapse than at diagnosis in canine lymphoma. The presence of binucleated or multinucleated cells at diagnosis may be useful as indicator of a poor prognosis. Further studies including a larger number of cases are required to reinforce the prognostic values of these cytologic features.
authors: Department of Veterinary Pathology, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors: Lilani I
authors: LI
authors: Munasinghe
authors: Department of Veterinary Pathology, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors: Beverly A
authors: BA
authors: Kidney
authors: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors: Valerie
authors: V
authors: MacDonald-Dickinson
authors: Department of Calgary Animal Referral and Emergency Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
authors: Victoria S
authors: VS
authors: Larson
authors: Department of Veterinary Pathology, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors: Marion L
authors: ML
authors: Jackson
authors: Department of Veterinary Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
authors: Nicole J
authors: NJ
authors: Fernandez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases; D004285:Dogs; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence
keywords: Canine; cytology; nuclear morphometry; prognosis; tumor