Veterinary Medicine - March 2008 - (Page 154)

CE PEER-REVIEWED An update on diagnosing and treating primary lung tumors The incidence of this rare cancer in dogs and cats may be on the rise. Find out how to spot a primary lung tumor and what new forms of therapy may soon be at your disposal. Kerry C. Rissetto, DVM; Pamela W. Lucas, DVM; and Timothy M. Fan, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (small animal internal medicine, oncology) lthough primary pulmonary neoplasms are rare ndings in dogs and cats, the reported incidence may be increasing.1-6 This potential rise may re ect multiple factors, including increased exposure to environmental carcinogens, the availability of more sensitive diagnostic tools, a greater number of necropsies being performed, A and improved animal healthcare services resulting in the increased longevity of companion animals.1,2,4,7 Through the growing appreciation for the human-animal bond, many pet owners now support the practice of preventive or early-detection medicine in companion animals for several disease processes, including cancer. The bene t of annual senior pet examinations, which include survey thoracic radiographs, may allow for the early diagnosis of lung cancer in asymptomatic animals. Although the prognosis is generally better for patients with small, well-differentiated, peripherally located lung tumors,2,3,8 additional prognostic factors should be considered for predicting survival outcomes in dogs and cats with pulmonary neoplasms. Pneumonectomy remains the cornerstone of therapy for primary lung tumors, but novel adjunctive therapies (e.g. combination chemotherapy) are being developed and evaluated for improving local disease control. In addition to advances in detecting and treating primary lung tumor growth, new systemic therapies have been investigated for prolonging the disease-free interval, as well as palliating secondary bony metastasis.9-11 The goal of this article is to describe the common histologic variants, clinical signs, biologic behavior, and newest options for early diagnosis and effective treatment of primary lung tumors in dogs and cats. PREDILECTION AND INCIDENCE Primary lung tumors represent about 1% of newly diagnosed tumors in dogs and cats, although the overall incidence is much lower in cats (Table 1).4,6,7,12-14 Some studies suggest that these tumors may be more common. In a life span study in a closed beagle colony, the incidence of primary lung tumors correlated with increasing age.15 For all beagles, an overall incidence of primary lung tumor forma- 154 March 2008 VETERINARY MEDICINE Illustration by Bonnie Hofkin

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Veterinary Medicine - March 2008

Veterinary Medicine - March 2008 Contents Toxicology Brief Idea Exchange A Challenging Case An Update on Diagnosing and Treating Primary Lung Tumors CE Form Product Preview Advertiser Index Marketplace/Classifieds Mind Over Miller

Veterinary Medicine - March 2008

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