A Case Series of 25 Dogs with Chondrosarcoma

Summary

The purpose of this study was to examine clinical, radiographic and histological features as well as post-diagnosis survival times of 25 dogs with chrondrosarcoma (CS). The diagnoses were made on histological evaluation of surgical biopsies or post-mortem specimens. Mixed breed dogs were found to be at higher risk.

Chondrosarcoma of the proximal humerus was the most difficult to diagnose, clinically resembling a nerve sheath tumour and offering few gross abnormalities or radiographic changes. Chrondrosarcoma was transarticular in one case.

The histological grading used was not well correlated with survival times; location of the CS seemed to be a better indicator of prognosis. Dogs with CS on a limb had the best survival rates, whereas those with CS of the vertebrae had the worst outcome. Surgery was beneficial in the cases of CS located on facial bones and limbs.

The purpose of this paper was to examine the clinical and diagnostic features and survival rates of dogs with chondrosarcoma (CS). Histological diagnoses were made in all cases, mixed breeds were over represented. The location of the tumour was a better prognostic indicator than the histological grading. Dogs with CS on a limb had the longest survival times.

Keywords

Chondrosarcoma - radiation

• REFERENCES

• 1 Brodcy RS, Riser WH, van der Heul RO. Canine skeletal chrondrosarcoma: a clinico-pathological study of 35 cases. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1974; 165: 68-78.
• 2 Theilen GH, Madewell BR. Tumors of the skeleton. In: Veterinary Cancer Medicine. Theilen GH, Madewell BR. (eds). Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1987: 471-97.
• 3 Liu SK, Dorfman HD, Hurvitz AI, Patnaik AK. Primary and secondary bone tumors in the dog. J Small Anim Pract 1977; 18: 313-26.
• 4 Turrel JM, Pool RR. Primary bone tumors in the cat: a retrospective study of 15 cats and a literature review. Vet Radiol 1982; 23: 152-66.
• 5 Jubb KVF, Kennedy PC, Palmer N. Bones and joints. In: Pathology of domestic animals, 3rd ed. Jubb KVF, Kennedy PC, Palmer N. (eds). New York: Academic Press; 1985: 83-5.
• 6 Pool RR. Tumour of bone and cartilage. In: Tumours in domestic animals. Moulton JE. (ed). University of California Press; Berkeley: 1990: 157-230.
• 7 Vasseur PB. Limb salvage in a dog with chondrosarcoma of the tibia. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1985; 187: 620-3.
• 8 Kramek BA, Wallace LJ, Johnston GR. Surgical repair of a pathological fracture due to chondrosarcoma: A case report. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 1985; 21: 643-6.
• 9 Hinko PJ, Burt JK, Fetter AW. Chondrosarcoma in the femur of a cat. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 1979; 15: 737-9.
• 10 Gibbs C, Denny HR, Lucke VM. The radiological features of non-osteogenic malignant tumors of bone in the appendicular skeleton of the dog: a review of thirty-four cases. J Small Anim Pract 1985; 26: 537-53.
• 11 Eriksson AI, Schiller A, Mankin HJ. The management of chondrosarcoma of bone. Clin Orthop Rel Res 1980; 153: 44-66.
• 12 Straw RC, LeCouteur RA, Powers BE, Withrow SJ. Multilobular osteochondrosarcoma of the skull: 16 cases (1978-1988). J Am Vet Med Assoc 1989; 195: 1764-9.
• 13 Garrington GE, Collett WK. Chondrosarcoma. I. A selected literature review. J Oral Pathol 1988; 17: 1-11.
• 14 Bertoli RJ, Brady LW, Thomas PRM. Tumors of the bone. In: Principles and practice of radiation oncology. Perez CA, Brady LW. (eds). J. B. Lippincott; Philadelphia: 1987: 1162-81.
• 15 Kagan AR. Radiotherapeutic management of the patient for palliation. In: Principles and practice of radiation oncology. Perez CA, Brady LW. (eds). J. B. Lippincott; Philadelphia: 1987: 1283-6.