can granulosa cell tumours grow back?

[MissyThea]

Hello everyone, just a bit of advice please, (I am of course taking veterinary action but I'm researching this at the moment and peoples advice/opinions are really welcomed)

in august 2010 we found out my mare had a tumour the size of a steering wheel, and it was removed successfully in september 2010 via keyhole surgery, along with an ovary which the tumour had grown onto .. since then my mare has been happy and healthy - bar the odd bit of back trouble as she changed shape and needed endless new saddles and saddle fittings!

this monday i rode her, and in flatwork she felt a little different - i presumed this was because she had a lot of energy and can sometimes get quite excitable. i decided to jump her, and she stopped at each jump. which is not like her at all as she is the most honest pony jumping ever and takes off on whatever stride even if its complete rider error! i got off and lunged her without her saddle and she moved a little more freely but i noticed she was not right. i checked her back and she was extremely tense and sore. i borrowed some bute and put it in her tea and breakie, and got the vet out on tuesday (i don't like to wait and see whether things wear off or not, i'd rather get them sorted)

the vet came and queried theas medical history--being a new vet she was not familiar with theas medical history, and was surprised to hear thea had not had any scans following her operation to check everything was okay. i was very shocked as i had presumed the operation was the end of it! anyway--the vet did a lot of exercises on thea and we found her left rein was the worst(where she has the scar from surgery, incidentally). thus thea was prescribed a week of rest and a few hours turnout a day, with bute. i have checked her back and she is fine--right until you hit the end of were the saddle sits. it is very sore, tense and tender. this is right above the scar she had surgery on. she has not displayed any behaviour she did when she DID have tumours--stallion like--but i have my mind kind of set on there being a problem internally. thea simply isn't herself at all. the vets are coming back out tuesday to examine her and i am going to book a scan at the equine hospital to conclude what is the actual problem.

my question is this -- can they grow back after surgery, and if not, what could be the matter(internally)?

(thea is 22 years old)

 

[JanetGeorge]

In the absence of the behaviour you saw when she had the GTCT, I'd doubt she had another (they grow on the ovary so it would have to be a new one on the other side anyway.) It's possible there is scar tissue associated with the surgery - but I think you'd have seen signs of this sooner.

It's more likely to be a 'straight forward' back problem - although it would certainly be worth having her uterus scanned.

 

[MissyThea]

Hiya, thanks very much for replying. when I bought my mare she began to display symptoms of acting like a stallion and became very underweight; I believe this is because she came out of an environment she was very attached to, and had a hard time adjusting to her new home, lifestyle, routine and of course new owners. Her past owners say thea had never displayed such signs before I bought her, and I am inclined to believe them on that note.

so -- if something was growing inside her -- is it possible the signs are only appearing 'now'? there hasn't been an emotional upheaval as such; she is generally a happy, loving sweet mare. since last monday she has lost her appetite considerably, and while still eating her breakfast, dinner and a bit of hay (not much at all, and shes usually very hungry all the time - she loves food) - isn't willing to go in the field as much (turnout being restricted as it is, i was hoping she would be more willing to go out and stretch her legs)

i'm just really at a loss as to what it could be and i'm inclined to think it is an internal issue, what do you mean by scar tissue? sorry i'm not very good on medical grounds at all

 

[JanetGeorge]

The stallion-like behaviour was due to the GTC tumour (now removed.) It might have been in its early stages and a change of environment prompted the start of the 'symptom' (new horses to chat up etc.) A GTC tumour produces testosterone, and most mares with one will - sooner or later - start showing stallion-like behaviour. They obviously get very stressed too which would explain the weight loss.

Scar tissue is a bit of excessive 'healing' tissue - similar to proud flesh that appears with some open wounds as they heal. But it doesn't usually cause a lot of trouble unless it's somewhere where there will be pressure on it.

The current symptoms you describe could be down to 101 different things - most of them trivial - and there is nothing to suggest a growth. I would get your vet to check her out - the tender area you've found, temperature, pulse, respirations, perhaps a blood profile. The latter will show if there is an infection or inflammation.

 

[MissyThea]

thanks very much for all your help. vet came today and thea is very sore on her left side still, especially her neck which is bad and her back end is extremely tight. she was very sore even though bute had still taken affect. so physio is coming monday and if that doesnt help she needs extensive medical investigations and tests.

 

[Cazza525]

I am watching this thread with interest! My precious mare had a granulosa cell tumour removed last Wednesday at Western Counties. I bought her home yesterday. She's doing just fine, if a little tucked up, but she's a good doer so will go back on quickly I spose. I would imagine your mare would have a certain amount of discomfort still from the ovarianectomy. They do go in deep, and speaking for myself who had a husterectomy last April, the site can still be tender now!