title: Evaluation of prognostic factors and survival rates in malignant feline mammary gland neoplasms.
abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate prognostic factors in feline mammary gland neoplasms, correlating them with overall survival (OS).
  
  
  
  Fifty-six primary malignant mammary gland neoplasms and 16 metastatic lymph nodes from 37 female cats were analyzed. Clinical staging, histologic type and grade, and immunohistochemistry for Ki-67, progesterone and estrogen receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER-2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were evaluated. Follow-up was performed in order to correlate prognostic factors with OS.
  
  
  
  Lymph node metastasis was found in 35% of cases. Clinical stage III, tubulopapillary carcinomas and histologic grade II cases prevailed in the study. Most neoplasms were positive for hormonal receptors, negative for HER-2 overexpression and presented VEGF overexpression. Immunoreactivity for Ki-67 (P = 0.046) and COX-2 (P = 0.007) was higher in metastases than in primary tumors. COX-2 (P = 0.089), HER-2 (P = 0.012) and histologic grade (P = 0.080) were correlated with OS.
  
  
  
  The data suggest that inhibition of ovarian hormones and COX-2 may represent a therapeutic option for malignant feline mammary gland neoplasms. When evaluating disease progression, COX-2 scores and Ki-67 index should be analyzed in primary tumors and metastases. Histologic grade, HER-2 status and COX-2 scores were found to have a direct influence on OS. Prognostic factors allow for a better understanding of disease outcome in a condition that is characterized by a poor prognosis. The present work highlights the need for further studies on endocrine therapy and COX-2 inhibitors, which could influence OS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinic and Surgery, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences of the Sao Paulo State University (FCAV/UNESP) - Jaboticabal Campus, Jaboticabal, Brazil.|Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Department of General Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cecilia B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: De Campos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Department of General Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Damasceno
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Department of General Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Conrado O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Gamba
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Department of General Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Hospital, Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gleidice E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lavalle
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Department of General Pathology, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil geovanni.cassali@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Geovanni D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Cassali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D001938:Brazil; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2