Mast Cell Tumors

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Last time I posted in here was when Rosie (my Border Terrorist) was paralysed from the waist down and was having surgery to have a slipped disc removed. The RVC did a great job and she's now fully mobile and can manage 30 minute off lead walks and a leap onto the sofa - though she does have her 'John Wayne' days.

She had a mast cell tumor removed from her 'armpit' 10 days ago and the wound seems to be healing well although the vet said she couldn't leave the margin's she'd hoped to because of its location.

I just wondered if anyone has an experience of these? I did a quick google and it seems they're common in Boxers and some terriers and that they're something to do with histamine but it's not clear (to me anyway) whether they're cancerous or not, or indeed what the outlook is.
I didn't get to talk to the vet, mum did, so any info would be appreciated.
 
they definitely are cancerous - they can spread to the chest and often recur locally. there are 3 grades - low grade, intermediate and high grade. high are obviously the most likely to spread internally and recur. they need excision as soon as possible and as wide as possible.
 
My boxer had one removed from his neck 21 months ago. Intermediate and not enough margin due to location. Vet sai any recurrance would first be seen along scar line - so far so good. He is now 7
 
I assume the vet sent the tumour away for histopathology? A grade 1 mast cell tumour ie one which iswell differentiated has a 93% survival rate at 1500days, while a Grade 3 (ie poorly differentiated tumour) has just 6% survival rate at 1500days.
Surgery with wide excision of margins (3cm min from edge of the mass) is the treatment of choice. If the tumour is of moderate to poor differentiation then additional therapy is usually required eg radiation therapy or chemo (vinblastine and prednisolone)
 
Yes it was sent to histology and the conclusion was mast cell tumor - apparently the vet said it was intermediate.

It was subcutaneous but differentiated and much like a penut in size and shape, however I know the vet couldn't leave the margins she wanted because of the location.

I'm concerned now as Rosie has about 4 small warts at skin level on her body (mainly legs, one at the back of her skull) which haven't changed in appearance or size since I noticed them. Will ask the vet to check but one of them is in an area clipped for surgery so I would have thought they'd noticed it.
 
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