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Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density plays an important role in anti-tumor immunity and is associated with patient outcome in various human and canine malignancies. As a first assessment of the immune landscape of the tumor microenvironment in canine renal cell carcinoma (RCC), we retrospectively analyzed clinical data and quantified CD3, FoxP3, and granzyme B immunostaining in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples from 16 dogs diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma treated with ureteronephrectomy. Cell density was low for all markers evaluated. Increased numbers of intratumoral FoxP3 labelled (+) cells, as well as decreased granzyme B+: FoxP3+ TIL ratio, were associated with poor patient outcomes. Our initial study of canine RCC reveals that these tumors are immunologically cold and Tregs may play an important role in immune evasion., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Matthew Atherton reports financial support was provided by National Institutes of Health, NCI, K08CA252619. Charles-Antoine Assenmacher reports financial support was provided by National Institutes of Health Shared Instrumentation Grant (S10 OD023465–01A1). Charles-Antoine Assenmacher reports financial support was provided by Abramson Cancer Center (P30 CA016520). Jennifer Lenz reports financial support was provided by Miso Harris Fund donated to Penn Vet Comprehensive Cancer Care service. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To report the signalment, staging, surgical treatment, and survival time of juvenile dogs treated surgically for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)., Study Design: Retrospective study., Animals or Sample Population: Twenty-five dogs, <2 years of age with OSCC treated with surgery., Methods: Cases were solicited from the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology. Data retrieved included sex, breed, age, weight, clinical signs, tumor location, preoperative diagnostics and staging, histopathological diagnosis with margin evaluation, disease-free interval, and date and cause of death. A minimum follow-up time of 3 months was required for inclusion., Results: Eighteen dogs were <12 months of age, and seven were <24 months. Various breeds were represented, with a mean body weight of 22.3 ± 14.4 kg. No dogs had evidence of metastatic disease prior to surgery. All dogs underwent partial maxillectomy or mandibulectomy. Histological margins were complete in 24 dogs and incomplete in one. No dogs had evidence of metastatic disease or tumor recurrence. The median follow-up time was 1556 days (92 to 4234 days). All dogs were alive at the last follow-up except for one documented death, due to dilated cardiomyopathy. Median disease-specific survival time was not reached., Conclusion: The prognosis after wide surgical excision of OSCC in juvenile dogs was excellent., Clinical Significance: OSCC in juvenile dogs can be effectively treated with surgery alone., (© 2021 American College of Veterinary Surgeons.)

The objective of the study was to determine whether neoadjuvant prednisone therapy affects histological features of cutaneous and subcutaneous mast cell tumors. Twenty-eight dogs with a treatment naïve > 1-cm diameter mast cell tumor (MCT) were randomly assigned (Random number generator; Random.org, Dublin, Ireland) in a blinded fashion to receive either prednisone or placebo (Quality Food Center Pharmacy, Kirkland, Washington, USA). Volumes of mast cell tumors were calculated before incisional and excisional biopsies. Following incisional biopsy, patients received either prednisone (1 mg/kg body weight) daily or a placebo for 7 to 14 days leading up to excisional biopsy. Tumor grade for cutaneous MCT, and mitotic count and atypia for all tumors were reported. Perioperative treatment with prednisone had no significant effect on tumor grade, atypia, or mitotic count. Tumor volume was significantly decreased with prednisone treatment. The use of neoadjuvant prednisone to decrease MCT volume in order to facilitate tumor excision, can be considered without significant concern for change of tumor histologic features in the common population of low- to intermediate-grade MCT., (Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.)

Surgery is the mainstay of therapy for canine and human solid cancers. Alarmingly, evidence suggests that the process of surgery may exacerbate metastasis and accelerate the kinetics of cancer progression. Understanding the mechanisms by which cancer progression is accelerated as a result of surgery may provide pharmacologic interventions. This review discusses surgery-induced cancer progression. It focuses on immunomodulatory properties of anesthesia and opioids and evidence that studies evaluating the role of opioids in tumor progression are indicated. It concludes by discussing why companion animals with spontaneously arising cancer are an ideal model for clinical trials to investigate this phenomenon., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Supraspinatus tendinopathy (ST) and biceps tendinopathy (BT) are common causes of forelimb lameness in large-breed dogs and have historically been treated with conservative management or surgery. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and therapeutic exercise (TE) are thought to be treatment options for these conditions. The objectives of this study were to report the clinical presentations of dogs treated with ESWT for shoulder tendinopathies, to determine the association between shoulder lesion severity identified on ultrasonography or MRI and outcome, and to compare the outcomes of dogs treated with ESWT with and without TE. Medical records of 29 dogs diagnosed with shoulder tendinopathies and treated with ESWT were reviewed, and 24 dogs were diagnosed with either unilateral BT or BT and ST. None were found to have unilateral ST. Five dogs were diagnosed with bilateral disease. Eighty-five per cent of dogs had good or excellent outcomes determined by owner assessment 11-220 weeks after therapy. Outcomes were found to be better as tendon lesion severity increased (P=0.0497), regardless if ESWT was performed with or without TE (P=0.92). ESWT should be considered a safe primary therapeutic option for canine shoulder tendinopathies. Larger controlled prospective studies are needed to adequately assess these findings., (British Veterinary Association.)

Objective: To report clinical and histopathologic features of long digital extensor (LDE) tendon mineralization with concurrent cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture in a dog., Study Design: Case report., Animal: 1.5-year-old, male castrated, English bulldog mix weighing 31.5 kg., Methods: Pre- and postoperative orthogonal radiographs, arthroscopic evaluation, arthrotomy with en bloc surgical excision, and histopathologic analysis of the excised LDE tendon., Results: There was radiographic evidence of mineralization in the region of the proximal LDE and stifle instability suggestive of CCL rupture. Arthroscopy, and subsequent arthrotomy, showed complete tearing of the CCL and an intact but grossly thickened LDE. No evidence of avulsion or bony proliferation associated with the LDE was appreciated. Tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) and tenectomy of the LDE returned the dog to normal weight-bearing. No evidence of ectopic mineralization in the affected limb or similar clinical signs in the contralateral limb have been observed in 12 months follow-up., Conclusions: LDE tenectomy followed by stabilization of the stifle by TPLO resulted in a functional outcome. Mineralization without concurrent avulsion of the LDE has not been reported in dogs; however, posterolateral tendon injury in people has been linked to knee instability and cruciate ligament rupture., (© Copyright 2014 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.)

Histologic grade is an important prognostic factor for both local recurrence and metastatic potential with canine soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Pre-treatment biopsy with identification of tumour grade may aid in prognostication and determination of surgical margins necessary for local control. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the grading accuracy of various pre-treatment biopsy techniques (wedge, punch, needle-core) for STS in dogs. Medical records of 68 dogs diagnosed with a STS via pre-treatment biopsy and confirmed by excisional biopsy were evaluated. The concordance in grade between excisional and pre-treatment biopsies was 59%. Of the 41% that lacked concordance, 29% of pre-treatment biopsies underestimated and 12% overestimated grade. The method of pre-treatment biopsy did not significantly effect grade concordance. Based on these data, needle-core biopsy appears to be similar in accuracy compared to open biopsy, however, grading determined by pre-treatment biopsy in general should be interpreted with caution., (© 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Case Description: A 9-year-old castrated male mixed-breed dog and a 7-year-old spayed female Boston Terrier, with clinical histories of a liver mass (dog 1) and bloody vomitus, diarrhea, and weight loss (dog 2), respectively, were referred for further evaluation., Clinical Findings: At the time of referral, each dog had differing laboratory abnormalities; however, the serum total protein and globulin concentrations were within reference range in both dogs. Cytologic examination of fine-needle aspirates obtained from affected organs (a liver mass [dog 1] and enlarged submandibular lymph node [dog 2]) revealed 2 main nucleated cell types: atypical lymphoid cells and lesser numbers of Mott cells. With the use of serum immunofixation electrophoresis and serum immunoglobulin quantification, a monoclonal immunoglobulin protein was identified in both dogs and a final diagnosis of secretory B-cell lymphoma with Mott cell differentiation (MCL) was made., Treatment and Outcome: Both dogs received chemotherapy for their disease. The first dog was euthanized 8.5 months after diagnosis because of acute respiratory distress of unknown etiology, and the second was euthanized 7 days after diagnosis for worsening clinical disease and quality of life., Clinical Relevance: To our knowledge, this report is the first of a secretory form of MCL in dogs. Findings indicate that in dogs with suspect MCL, even in patients that lack characteristic hyperproteinemia or hyperglobulinemia, serum protein content should be fully evaluated for the presence of a monoclonal immunoglobulin protein. Such an evaluation that uses immunofixation electrophoresis and immunoglobulin quantification will aid in the diagnosis of MCL in dogs.

Case Description: A 12-year-old castrated male Labrador Retriever was evaluated for clinical signs associated with colorectal obstruction., Clinical Findings: The dog had a 2-week history of tenesmus and hematochezia. On rectal examination, an annular colorectal mass was palpable extending orad into the pelvic canal. The original diagnosis of the colorectal mass was a mucosal adenoma. The dog was maintained on a low-residue diet and fecal softeners for a period of 13 months after initial diagnosis. At that time, medical management was no longer effective., Treatment and Outcome: Placement of a colonic stent was chosen to palliate the clinical signs associated with colorectal obstruction. By use of fluoroscopic and colonoscopic guidance, a nitinol stent was placed intraluminally to open the obstructed region. Placement of the stent resulted in improvement of clinical signs, although tenesmus and obstipation occurred periodically after stent placement. At 212 days after stent placement, the patient had extensive improvement in clinical signs with minimal complications; however, clinical signs became severe at 238 days after stent placement, and the dog was euthanized. Histologic evaluation of the rectal tumor from samples obtained during necropsy revealed that the tumor had undergone malignant transformation to a carcinoma in situ., Clinical Relevance: A stent was successfully placed in the colon and rectum to relieve obstruction associated with a tumor originally diagnosed as a benign neoplasm. Placement of colorectal stents may be an option for the palliation of colorectal obstruction secondary to neoplastic disease; however, clinical signs may persist, and continuation of medical management may be necessary.

Overexpression of the chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) has been associated with a poor prognosis in many human cancers. Increased MCP-1 concentrations may promote tumour progression by increasing mobilization of myeloid derived suppressor cells such as immature monocytes and neutrophils. We hypothesized that increased numbers of peripheral neutrophils or monocytes and increased MCP-1 concentrations would predict a worse outcome in dogs with multicentric lymphoma. In this retrospective study involving 26 client-owned dogs diagnosed with lymphoma, we show that peripheral neutrophil and monocyte counts as well as serum MCP-1 concentrations were significantly elevated relative to healthy control animals, and that such increases were associated with a decreased disease-free interval in dogs treated with chemotherapy based on cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin and prednisone (CHOP). To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that pretreatment evaluation of monocyte and neutrophil counts can provide important prognostic information in dogs with lymphoma. The mechanisms underlying these observations remain to be determined., (© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Two dogs, an 8.5-year-old intact male Golden Retriever and a 10-year-old spayed female English Springer Spaniel, each with varied clinical histories, were referred to the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for evaluation of hypercalcemia and severe anemia, respectively. In each dog, serum total protein and globulin concentrations were within reference intervals. Cytologic examination of bone marrow aspirates from both dogs revealed moderate to marked numbers of atypical lymphoid cells with plasma cell features. Using serum immunofixation and serum immunoglobulin (Ig) quantification, a monoclonal Ig protein was identified. In conjunction with other clinicopathologic and molecular findings, IgA secretory neoplasms, B-cell lymphoma with plasmacytoid features and multiple myeloma (MM), were diagnosed. To our knowledge, these cases represent the first descriptions of IgA-secreting neoplasms in dogs that lacked hyperglobulinemia. In cases of suspected B-cell lymphoma or MM in dogs, serum proteins should be fully evaluated for the presence of a monoclonal Ig even in dogs that lack characteristic hyperproteinemia or hyperglobulinemia. This evaluation will aid in the diagnosis of secretory B-cell lymphoma or MM leading to appropriate clinical and therapeutic case management., (©2010 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.)