The average survival time for patients treated with solely palliative therapy is typically between 6 months but mostly based on the presenting circumstances and response to therapy. Approximately 1/3 of dogs have a favorable response to therapy and 1/3 of dogs will have tumor stabilization. These treatment options include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, medical therapy with metronomic chemotherapy (see below), and pain medications as deemed necessary. Palliative therapy can be used in lieu of aggressive/curative-intent treatment options in cases where the tumor is not considered to be operable. The average survival time is 6-12 months following the appropriate therapy. Removal of the tumors, when possible, is performed and these cases are almost always followed with chemotherapy. STS that occurs internally on organs (liver, spleen, etc), tend to be more aggressive, high-grade tumors with a rate of metastasis that is approximately 50%. With aggressive therapy, 50% of dogs remain tumor-free 1.5-2 years later. Treatment for these tumors often involves bone removal and minor reconstructive surgery followed by radiation. STS that occurs in the oral cavity (mouth) tend to be more aggressive with higher rates of local recurrence. Dogs diagnosed with high-grade tumors have an average prognosis of 1.5 years due to the more aggressive features associated with these tumors. At the end of the chemotherapy, dogs are restaged and continuously monitored for local recurrence. Most often this entails adriamycin (IV) given once every 3 weeks for 5 treatments. In cases where a tumor is a high grade or it is the type of tumor that has a great chance to spread, we often recommend chemotherapy in addition to the local therapy. Studies have shown that following up with radiation therapy can provide excellent local control (the majority of dogs have survival beyond 4-5 years). In cases where the tumor is incompletely removed, we will often recommend either a second surgery (if feasible) or radiation therapy. Treatment for STS involves surgery that may be incomplete because of the local microscopic invasiveness however, in cases where a tumor is on a limb, surgery can be curative with an amputation. These tests allow us to determine if the cancer has spread to other areas in the body, which is dependent on the type/grade of the tumor. Patients are staged with chest x-rays, blood work (CBC, serum chemistry), and abdominal ultrasound (if necessary). The tendrils of the tumor are actually microscopic cells that are the most active part of the tumor and lead to re-growth when not surgically removed. The best description of these tumors is an “octopus” in which the head of the octopus is the area of the tumor you can feel but the tumor has tentacles (tendrils) that can go much deeper (up to 2 inches) out into the surrounding normal tissue. Most often the mass feels fixed to the underlying tissue and its borders are indistinct. STS are often first noted as a lump by the owners that often grow slowly over time. The rate of metastasis (spread to other organs) depends on the grade of the tumor with low and intermediate grade tumors metastasizing in <20% of dogs whereas high-grade tumors metastasize in 40-50% of dogs. These tumors often grow slowly and grow passively along tissue planes. Most tend to be low to moderate grade but exceptions exist. These tumors range in their behavior based upon their cell of origin (see above) as well as their grade, which correlates to the aggressiveness of the tumor. High grade tumors (which are rare) have 62% local recurrence and median survival time of 49 weeks.Spindle cell sarcomas are also known as soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and in general, this term acts as an umbrella for a variety of tumors including (fibrosarcoma-connective tissue, chondrosarcoma-cartilage, liposarcoma-fat tissue, hemangiosarcoma-blood vessel cells, nerve sheath tumor, hemangiopericytoma-cells supporting blood vessels, malignant fibrous histiocytoma). How long can a dog live with a spindle cell tumor? How long can a dog live with histiocytic sarcoma?.What is the survival rate for spindle cell sarcoma?.Is spindle cell sarcoma aggressive in dogs?.How long can a dog live with a spindle cell tumor?.
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