Half, I only posted what pertained to RECAF but since you want the entire thread, here it is. You see Half, the Vet thinks it would be a waste of time.
Customer Question
I have a 12 Yr Westhighland terrior with Addisons. A few weeks ago i noticesd him limping and when I looked at his foot he had a growth on his left front pad just under his nail. I took him to the Vet and the biopsy came back as a tumor hermangiomasarcoma. The vet told me that this form of cancer arises from the blood vessels and recommended an Ultrasound to see if it has migrated from a vital organ such as heart or kidneys. Is this a waste of money and is there a blood test to find out if it is throughout his body. Maybe I should just remove the toe and see how he does?
Submitted: 71 days and 11 hours ago.
Category: Dog Veterinary Value: $18 Status: CLOSED Optional Information
Optional Information:
Type of Animal: Westhighland Terrier
Gender: Male
Age: 12
Name of Dog: Merlin
Already Tried:
Vet and removal of the tumor but it came back within a week
Posted by ResidentVet 71 days and 10 hours ago. Expert's Answer
I'm sorry to hear about your dog.
Unfortunately there isn't a "blood test' that can determine if the mass has spread to other places. We can see a certain type of red blood cell fragment on a CBC called a schistocyte that is suggestive that a hemangiosarcoma is present, but it doesn't say much about whether or not it has spread. A hemangiosarcoma of the nail bed isn't very common so I would be concerned that there may be tumor elsewhere. Also, hemangiosarcomas are highly likely to spread so it is a good idea to do some screening to see what you are up against.
Recommended screening tests include chest x-rays and abdominal ultrasound. If the heart looks unusual an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) will also be recommended. The two most common places to get hemangiosarcoma are the spleen and right atrium of the heart. This type of tumor likes to spread to lungs and sometimes even the central nervous system, typically we do not recommend imaging of the central nervous system unless there are neurological signs that would suggest the tumor may be affecting the nervous system.
If everything looks clean, taking off the toe would be recommended. If the tumor has spread anywhere else (it could have originated elsewhere and spread to the toe as well) then surgery to remove the tow won't likely change the prognosis.
ResidentVet
71 days and 10 hours ago. Customer Reply
The mass was been removed from his pad and came back within a week or so. Does this suggest anything? His appetite has diminished also.
Have you heard of the blood test from OncoPET called RECAF and its effectiveness?
Accepted Answer
We don't use this test because it doesn't tell you what type of cancer is present. Knowing your dog has cancer is helpful, but it doesn't tell you where it is or what it is doing. We already know your dog has cancer so the test will likely be positive and we won't have any additional information.
Although this test sounds interesting, it won't help us determine the spread of this tumor. It has grown back already which isn't a surprise considering the type of tumor it is, and we are still "in the dark" about where else the tumor might be. The decreased appetite is concerning, and it makes me think more that the tumor is somewhere else, but it doesn't prove anything definitively.
ResidentVet
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