In the last post, anal sac carcinoma was discussed, including diagnosing these malignant tumors in the dog. In this post, we will cover more on treatments and some data concerning outcomes.
If a guardian is coping with a diagnosis of canine anal sac carcinoma, often major questions arise soon after the news is received. Chemotherapy? Radiation? Diet? Supplements?
As a proponent of guardianship in dogs, my advice is always to get whatever data you can to use as rough guidelines for your particular dog. In this spirit, below is some information concerning survival statistics for dogs with anal gland carcinoma. Please remember that these numbers don’t apply to your dog necessarily, as they are calculated based on groups of different dogs.
One study showed the median survival time for dogs with treated tumors was 544 days overall. The upper limit of the range was up 1, 843 days! Those tumors that measured greater than or equal to 10 square cm was 292 days while those with smaller tumors had a median survival of 584 days. (A rough way for your vet to measure the square cm is to measure the radius of the tumor, square it, multiply this by 4, and multiply this by 3.14)
As to which treatment, it looks like the Big 3 conventional steps combined give the best survival chances. These are surgery, chemo and radiation. If you have to pick, go for the surgery as your minimum.
As usual, the additions of apoptogens, diet, immune support, anti-metastatic treatments, and life quality enhancement are a part of the Full Spectrum Plan provided in the Dog Cancer Survival Guide.
Best,
Dr D
The post Carcinoma of the Anal Sac, part 2 appeared first on Dog Cancer Blog.