LYMPHOSARCOMA
by Cat Angus, Avalon Mastiffs
Losing a mastiff is never easy. Losing a mastiff to cancer, and
lymphosarcoma in particular, can be devastating.
As the third most common form of cancer in canines, it affects a tremendous
number of dogs annually. It occurs most frequently in dogs between the ages
of 6 and 9 years old. There are, according to the University of
Pennsylvania, 5 types of lymphosarcoma. These are:
1. External Lymph Nodes
2. Gastrointestinal Tract
3. Mediastinal
4. Skin
5. Bone Marrow
The World Health Organization stages lymphoma by the extent of the
disease:
Stage 1. limited two one node or organ
Stage 2. Involvement of many nodes in a region
Stage 3. General node involvement
Stage 4. Liver or spleen plus or minus stage 3
Stage 5. Metastasis to bone marrow with or without stages 1-4
It is considered a treatable form of cancer, and in 80% of the cases,
response to chemotherapy is positive. For more information on
Lymphosarcoma, contact the Oncology Department at the Vet School at the
University of Pennsylvania. More technical information on the description
of the disease can be found by searching the web. The Veterinary
Information Service also offers a technical synopsis of the disease.
In the early stages, lymphosarcoma, or lymphoma as it is sometimes called,
does not seem to cause any discomfort or pain. Frequently it is undetected,
or detected only by accident, until other signs such as weight loss,
weakness, extreme swelling of the lymph nodes occur.
The success rate in treating lymphosarcoma depends on primarily on the tumor
location. Once the other organs such as liver and spleen are involved, the
possibility of any recovery diminishes dramatically.
One of the problems with lymphoma is that it can occur, at least the
noticeable outward manifestations very quickly and by that time has
progressed to a point where little can be done. Even with treatment, the
life expectancy in best case scenario is 12-18 months and can cause gastric
upset, vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia. Without treatment, life expectancy
drops in many casess to a matter of weeks, depending on the stage and
location of the tumors.
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