MCT advice please - Mitotic Index 5.8%

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Burdy18

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Hi there, thanks for letting me join

Our little dog, Sophie, is a staffie and just gone 8. To cut a long story short, she has had a mast cell tumour removed from her vulva and it has been graded as a low grade II with clean, albeit, narrow margins. The report from the lab said that her prognosis is "Good". Our vet is also happy that he got it out whole. He gave us the choice of either watching and waiting regards any further lumps or we could pay for a further diagnostic test on the tumour to see how it potentially could have behaved. Big mistake! I thought it would give us more peace of mind but it so hasnt and all it has done has thrown us (mainly me) into complete turmoil! This mitotic index says that less than 5% is a low tumour and prognosis is good with anything over 5% being an aggressive tumour. Sophie's has come back as 5.8%! As our vet points out, it's not even 1% over the top end of the scale. My husband is adament that we don't give Sophie treatment as he reckons it's all stats and whereas they say it could potentially behave aggressively, my husband says that we could be putting our little mate through nasty treatment for something that potentially may not have behaved aggressively. It is such a hard decision. Last week prognisis was good, it was out and in the bin but this week we're back in a quandry. Sophie is absolutely fit and well, eating, wanting to play, eager for her walks and is just her normal self. I've started her on Norweigen salmon oil, CBD oil has arrived today and I have Golden Paste too. Gradually adding things so that I don't make her sickly etc. Any experience you may have had with this awful disease would be so gratefully received. Apologies for the long post
 

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I would go with your husband. You cannot explain to a dog why you are making life crap for a possible long term gain. I too think it is only just over an arbitary threshold.
 
rabatsa said:
I would go with your husband. You cannot explain to a dog why you are making life crap for a possible long term gain. I too think it is only just over an arbitary threshold.
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Thank you so much. We've agreed that we are going to monitor her with the understanding that if another pops up it'll be removed and we'll consider chemo then. I'd hate to see her poorly and knowing there may not be a need for it is just incomprehenisble
 
I wouldn’t be considering chemo at this point - it is all ‘ifs, buts and maybes’ for me, I’d much rather my dog enjoyed a good quality of life for a shorter period of time than have a possible longer life which was affected by treatment which potentially might not be necessary or may not even help
 
Levrier said:
I wouldn’t be considering chemo at this point - it is all ‘ifs, buts and maybes’ for me, I’d much rather my dog enjoyed a good quality of life for a shorter period of time than have a possible longer life which was affected by treatment which potentially might not be necessary or may not even help
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Thank you. Totally what my other half is saying. The results are right on the cusp and the main thing to hang onto is that she's so well, the tumour is out and margins were clean for her too. We're not going to consider chemo at this stage as it may well not be needed and for whose benefit will it be? thanks for your response
 
Maybe think if it as a 0.8% aggressive tumour? Then its maybe easier to weigh up a lot of intensive treatment against quality of life.
A friends Visla has had mast cell tumours for the last 4-5 years with no treatment, so its not always an instant concern.
Having said that, another vet friend reckons dogs cope better than you think with chemo etc.
Good luck anyway and I'm sure it'll be fine 🙂
 
while she is happy and healthy i wouldnt worry (easy to say ) i have known 4 dogs in my village who have had chemo, 2 of them are still here but the others didnt have the length of life that the vet hospital had said. both were just 3 months, the ones who are still here they have had about 10 months of reasonable life, both are very laid back labs and seem to like going to the vets so that part isnt stressful for them....i think it really depends on how you think your dog will cope with visiting the vets and staying in sometimes when making the decision for chemo.. i think your OH is right....
 
I can't advise you what to do for your dog but will share my experience of mast cell tumours if that will help.

2006, JRT diagnosed with intermediate Grade II, increased risk of metastasis. Removed surgically then radiotherapy. He was PTS in 2009 for illness unrelated to the cancer.

Nearest radiotherapy Unit was 200 miles away.

1 overnight/inpatient stay, 3 sessions as outpatient and 1 wasted journey (received call on outskirts of Cambridge to say machine broken.)

I would obviously opt for surgery again but not the radiotherapy. He was very stressed by the whole ordeal, the travel, being away from home and abandoned among strangers- though I have no doubt they looked after him very well. He was never the same little dog and in addition was upset by car travel following this.


2013, lurcher diagnosed with mast cell, high grade Patnaik grade III. The nodule was narrowly excised (the vet had not expected it to be a mast cell tumour).

I was told it was a very aggressive, highly malignant tumour and I declined chemotherapy - it would not have cured her.

The cancer eventually returned but was deep in her shoulder muscle so surgery was not an option. Not PTS at that time as she was not in pain and still enjoying life. She was PTS in 2017 due to the cancer.

I hope I never have another dog with MCT but if I did I would opt for surgery only.
 
Burdy18 said:
Hi there, thanks for letting me join

Our little dog, Sophie, is a staffie and just gone 8. To cut a long story short, she has had a mast cell tumour removed from her vulva and it has been graded as a low grade II with clean, albeit, narrow margins. The report from the lab said that her prognosis is "Good". Our vet is also happy that he got it out whole. He gave us the choice of either watching and waiting regards any further lumps or we could pay for a further diagnostic test on the tumour to see how it potentially could have behaved. Big mistake! I thought it would give us more peace of mind but it so hasnt and all it has done has thrown us (mainly me) into complete turmoil! This mitotic index says that less than 5% is a low tumour and prognosis is good with anything over 5% being an aggressive tumour. Sophie's has come back as 5.8%! As our vet points out, it's not even 1% over the top end of the scale. My husband is adament that we don't give Sophie treatment as he reckons it's all stats and whereas they say it could potentially behave aggressively, my husband says that we could be putting our little mate through nasty treatment for something that potentially may not have behaved aggressively. It is such a hard decision. Last week prognisis was good, it was out and in the bin but this week we're back in a quandry. Sophie is absolutely fit and well, eating, wanting to play, eager for her walks and is just her normal self. I've started her on Norweigen salmon oil, CBD oil has arrived today and I have Golden Paste too. Gradually adding things so that I don't make her sickly etc. Any experience you may have had with this awful disease would be so gratefully received. Apologies for the long post
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sorry think my reply went a little wrong 🙄

anyway my little jrt had three mast cell tumours in her life. two were removed very successfully and she had 3 monthly check-ups of her lymph nodes at the vets. The two that were removed happened when she was 3 and 9.

the third one was unfortunately inside her anus and was discovered when she was 14. we monitored it until eventually we had to decide whether to operate or put her to sleep. we decided against putting her through an opt and she left us at 16.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is if you keep a close eye on her and have regular check-ups at the vet I think you'll be ok. I mean Bea lived to 16 and her first mast cell tumour was at 3!
 
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