However, when you consider that the foot is a mere three centimeters wide on either side of the tumor, the challenge becomes greater. Those margins might not be so hard to accomplish on a flank-as Cody's Grade I tumor was easily extracted. Leaving the cells behind means leaving the tumor tentacles from which to grow back. Experts say a three-centimeter area around the tumor is required to get all the mast cells. Grade IIIs are highly aggressive tumors with the greatest spread potential.Įxcising mast cell tumors is made difficult by the necessity of getting complete "margins," not the easiest of tasks. Grade IIs involve an aggressive tumor often which may spread to the lymph nodes and beyond, requiring more treatment than just surgery. Grade I is a slow-growing tumor that responds well to surgical excision. They key to how fast they will move comes in the grading of the tumors by a pathologists to determine how it will behave. Their aggressive nature means they can invade the body quickly, heading out to the lymph nodes, bone marrow and spleen, taking over before they have barely been detected. But undetected, they don't usually stop at the skin level. Just as mast cells are the most common skin tumors, so is the skin the most common site for mast cell tumors. Allergies, skin irritations, wounds, tick bits all generate mast cell response.Īnd just like any other cells in the body, sometimes they go out of control and become what we know as cancer. They are a type of blood cell, which is involved in the body's inflammatory response system. The fact that dogs develop mast cells tumors is probably not that surprising, considering they regularly have mast cells floating about their system. They range in size from a few millimeters to several centimeters. Most of them are seen on the trunk and hindquarters, although they can also appear on the legs, head and neck-and certainly feet. They can grow slowly or spread like kudzu. They can appear alone or in clusters, above the skin or below it. They can be small and wart-like, spongy like cysts or hard like marbles. They can occur anywhere, and look and feel like anything. Mast cell tumors are the most common skin tumors diagnosed in dogs. I would need to see a specialist the next afternoon to determine a course of action.įailure to act, she assured me, would be Cody's death sentence. Her news: Cody's lumps were malignant mast cell tumors-the flank a Grade I-the lowest and least invasive-and the toe a Grade II. I nearly had heart palpitations when our vet called on a Sunday evening, almost two weeks after surgical removal. Dogs get lumps all the time, I was certain, and they rarely meant anything. There were actually two lumps I had uncovered, one on his right flank and one on the outside toe of his left hind foot. In the ensuing years he had been the picture of perfect health-his only emergency vet visit coming when he had gotten into his bag of dog food and gorged.Īt 90 pounds he was a dog who had never missed a meal, who frolicked happily every day of his life and could gallop fast enough to give racing greyhounds a go. At the time we had found him roaming the streets at the age of 12 weeks, I considered him a gift from above. He is ever smiling, ever playing, ever making those around him happy. O-Pro: Portal for Oncology ProfessionalsĬody is 6 years old, a handsome black Lab with a sable coat, bright eyes and the energy to run 10 men into the ground.Distress Screening Response Tools (DSRT).OncoPilot: Navigating the Cancer Journeyįind resources & tools for oncology healthcare professionals.Managing Practical and Emotional Concerns.Insurance, Legal, Employment & Financial Concerns.Support for Adolescent and Young Adults with Cancer.Sexual History & Human Papillomavirus (HPV).Medications, Health History and Cancer Risk.Environmental and Occupational Exposures (UV Exposure, Radon, Radiation).Learn about cancer, diagnosis, treatment, coping & survivorship Discover information about different types of cancer
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