Sarcoma in dogs are some of the more easily detected cancers because they are often congregate in one area, forming a lump. However, they can spread so can be difficult to treat and must be dealt with quickly.
About Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Soft tissue sarcoma is relatively common in dogs, accounting for about 15 percent of skin cancers in dogs. As the name implies, soft tissue sarcoma usually form in tissues, such as:
- connective tissue
- cartilage
- muscles
- nerves
- fat
There are many types of soft tissue sarcoma, but the more common types are fibrosarcoma, which originates in the connective tissue, neurofibrosarcoma, which form in the connective tissue around nerves, and anaplastic sarcoma, one of the more malignant forms of soft tissue sarcoma.
They often form lumps, but these are not to be confused with the benign fatty lumps that often accumulate on older dogs. These lumps often aren't as tightly formed and can be squishy and easily manipulated. However, they often form deep roots into the body.
Because of this, they are often difficult to remove completely. Though they are slow to spread, they often recur and may require more treatment than just surgery. If the lump spreads, it will do so through blood or lymph nodes.
Diagnosis of Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Since soft tissue sarcomas usually form a lump, diagnosis involves extracting and testing the lump. This can be done via aspiration, in which a thin needle is inserted into the lump to remove tissue. However, since sarcomas may not release cells from the mass, a negative diagnosis can't always be trusted.
If the diagnosis is negative, a biopsy may also be recommended. This involves removing part or all of the lump to test for cancerous cells.
Treatment of Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Since soft tissue sarcoma is usually localized, surgery is the first option. The tumors are usually relatively easy to remove, though it's difficult to remove the entire thing. A second surgery may be required if the removal wasn't clean, and the tumor may recur later, requiring additional surgery.
Radiation is another common treatment for soft tissue sarcoma, particularly if a clean removal can't be made during surgery. It can also be used to shrink the tumor before surgery, depending on the location.
A high percentage of patients receiving both surgical and radiation treatment recover and stay healthy years later. One study showed that 76 percent of patients were symptom-free five years after treatment.
Chemotherapy is usually not recommended for treatment of soft tissue sarcoma since it's a more aggressive treatment. Because side effects can be so severe, this treatment is usually reserved for more aggressively-spreading tumors.
Any cancer diagnosis can be devastating, but soft tissue sarcoma is often easy to detect and treat, and patients stay symptom-free years later. However, it's important to detect tumors quickly as those that have spread carry a low prognosis for recovery.