Difference between revisions of "Haemangiosarcoma"

Latest revision as of 20:26, 25 June 2016

Introduction

A highly malignant tumour of vascular endothelial origin. Commonly affect dogs and the most frequently affected areas are the spleen, pericardium, right atrium, liver and muscle. The cat is affected less frequently and the most common sites are the liver, spleen and mesentry. Metastasis occurs via the haematogenous route or via rupture and transabdominal spread. Metastatic sites include, lungs, liver, omentum, diaphragm and less commonly brain. Surgery is the treatment of choice but even with this survival time remains very short.

Signalment

Often found in German Shepherd Dogs and Golden Retrievers over 9 years of age. Domestic Short haired cats are the most commonly affected cat breed.

History and Clinical Signs

Can vary depending on the anatomic site that the mass is affecting. Signs such as anorexia, lethargy, weakness, vomiting and anaemia are common. Animals may have history of multiple episodes of collapse following repeated rupture of an abdominal mass, leading to non-fatal haemoabdomen. Occasionally can be found dead following catastrophic rupture and fatal haemoabdmen.

In instances where the heart (right auricle) is involved, animals may die suddenly or present in heart failure. Rupture of the mass and haemorrhage into the pericardial sac leads to compression of the heart, which can no longer fill with blood during diastole (cardiac tamponade).

If the nervous system is involved a range of neurological abnormalities will also be present.

Laboratory Tests

Haematology

Anaemia will be evident which may be regenerative if due to blood loss, or microangiopathic due to the passage of red blood cells through the microvascular network of the tumour. This results in the presence of schistocytes in dogs but not cats. A neutrophilia and thrombocytopenia may also be present.

Diagnostic Imaging

Radiography

Useful to look for evidence of metastasis.

Ultrasonography

This is sensitive in identifying liver and splenic masses where the spleen will show a mixed or non-homogenoeous pattern and the liver will look hypoechoic or anechoic. It can also be useful to detect metastatic spread.

Biopsy

The only way to to form a definitive diagnosis is following a biopsy and histopathology. This is needed to differentiate haemangiosarcoma from splenic haematoma, haemangioma and accessory splenic tissue.

Treatment

Surgery

Surgery is the treatment of choice for haemangiosarcoma in the dog and cat. All diseased tissue should be removed and splenic haemangiosarcoma should be treated via splenectomy. Local removal is difficult if the pericardium and right atrium is involved. A pericardectomy can be undertaken but the prognosis with tumours at this location is grave.

Chemotherapy

This will provide a palliative treatment for animals with multiple masses or as an adjuvant therapy post-operatively. Doxorubicin based products are the most commonly used drugs for haemangiosarcomas.

Prognosis

Poor due to high risk of metastasis in the early course of the disease.

Haemangiosarcoma Learning Resources
Vetstream To reach the Vetstream content, please select	Canis, Felis, Lapis or Equis
Flashcards Test your knowledge using flashcard type questions	Liver Pathology Flashcards
Literature Search Search for recent publications via CAB Abstract (CABI log in required)	Haemangiosarcoma
Full Text Articles Full text articles available from CAB Abstract (CABI log in required)	A review and what's new in canine hemangiosarcoma. Garrett, L. D.; The North American Veterinary Conference, Gainesville, USA, Small animal and exotics. Proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference, Orlando, Florida, USA, 16-20 January 2010, 2010, pp 956-959

References

Ettinger, S.J. and Feldman, E. C. (2000) Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine Diseases of the Dog and Cat Volume 2 (Fifth Edition) W.B. Saunders Company.

Hall, E.J, Simpson, J.W. and Williams, D.A. (2005) BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Gastroenterology (2nd Edition) BSAVA

Nelson, R.W. and Couto, C.G. (2009) Small Animal Internal Medicine (Fourth Edition) Mosby Elsevier.

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WikiVet^® Introduction - Help WikiVet - Report a Problem

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{unfinished}}
+{{OpenPagesTop}}
+==Introduction==
+A highly malignant tumour of vascular endothelial origin. Commonly affect dogs and the most frequently affected areas are the spleen, pericardium, right atrium, liver and muscle.  The cat is affected less frequently and the most common sites are the liver, spleen and mesentry. Metastasis occurs via the haematogenous route or via rupture and transabdominal spread.  Metastatic sites include, lungs, liver, omentum, diaphragm and less commonly brain. Surgery is the treatment of choice but even with this survival time remains very short.
-==Description==
-A highly malignant tumour of vascular endothelial origin. They commonly affect dogs and the most frequently affected areas are the spleen, pericardium, right atrium, liver and muscle. The origin of '''abdominal haemangiosarcoma''' is often from the spleen.
 ==Signalment==
-Often found in older German Shepherd Dogs and Golden Retrievers
+Often found in German Shepherd Dogs and Golden Retrievers over 9 years of age. Domestic Short haired cats are the most commonly affected cat breed.
-<gallery>
-Image:Golden-retriever.jpg|'''Golden Retriever''' <p> Monika Mężyńska (2005); WikiMedia Commons
-Image:GermanShep.jpg|'''German Shepherd (Alsatian)''' <p> Ellen Levy Finch (22/02/04); WikiMedia Commons
-</gallery>
+==History and Clinical Signs==
+Can vary depending on the anatomic site that the mass is affecting.
+Signs such as anorexia, lethargy, weakness, [[vomiting]] and [[Regenerative and Non-Regenerative Anaemias|anaemia]] are common.
+Animals may have history of multiple episodes of collapse following repeated rupture of an abdominal mass, leading to non-fatal haemoabdomen. Occasionally can be found dead following catastrophic rupture and fatal haemoabdmen.
-==Diagnosis==
+In instances where the heart (right auricle) is involved, animals may die suddenly or present in [[:Category:heart Failure|heart failure]]. Rupture of the mass and haemorrhage into the pericardial sac leads to compression of the heart, which can no longer fill with blood during diastole ([[Cardiac Tamponade|cardiac tamponade]]).
-===Clinical Signs===
-Animals often present Collapsed; due to rupture of the mass, leading to a haemoabdomen.
-Otherwise Lethargy, weakness, pallor and anorexia may preceed a major bleed.
+If the nervous system is involved a range of neurological abnormalities will also be present.
-===Laboratory Tests===
+==Laboratory Tests==
 ====Haematology====
-Anaemia; may be regenerative if due to blood loss, or microangiopathic due to the passage of red blood cells through the microvascular network of the tumour
+Anaemia will be evident which may be [[Regenerative and Non-Regenerative Anaemias|regenerative]] if due to blood loss, or microangiopathic due to the passage of [[erythrocytes|red blood cells]] through the microvascular network of the tumour.
+This results in the presence of schistocytes in dogs but not cats.
-====Biochemistry====
+A [[Neutrophilia|neutrophilia]] and [[Platelet Abnormalities#Thrombocytopaenia|thrombocytopenia]] may also be present.
-====Other Tests====
-===Diagnostic Imaging===
-====Radiography====
-This may be able to reveal any masses, provided there is minimal peritoneal fluid.
-====Ultrasonography====
-This is sensitive in indentifying liver and splenic masses.
-==Pathology==
-===Cholangiocellular - bile duct===
-*can be primary in the [[Liver - Anatomy & Physiology|liver]]
-*other predilection sites
-**[[Spleen - Anatomy & Physiology|spleen]]
-**right auricle of the heart
-*prevalent in large breeds
-==From Spleen Pathology==
-distinguished from the superficially similar haemangioma by the presence of much more formed, solid tumour tissue
-*accurate prognosis demands histological examination
-*secondaries are common locally in the [[Peritoneal cavity - Anatomy & Physiology#Omentum|omentum]] and in the [[Liver - Anatomy & Physiology|liver]]
-The course of disease is usually short, often only a month or two and metastases may occur in almost every organ.
+==Diagnostic Imaging==
+===Radiography===
+Useful to look for evidence of metastasis.
-===Histopathology===
+===Ultrasonography===
-Biopsy of any masses will provide a definitive diagnosis.  This is needed to differentiate haemangiosarcoma from splenic haematoma, haemangioma and accessory splenic tissue.
+This is sensitive in identifying liver and splenic masses where the spleen will show a mixed or non-homogenoeous pattern and the liver will look hypoechoic or anechoic. It can also be useful to detect metastatic spread.
+==Biopsy==
+The only way to to form a definitive diagnosis is following a biopsy and histopathology. This is needed to differentiate haemangiosarcoma from splenic haematoma, haemangioma and accessory splenic tissue.
 ==Treatment==
 ===Surgery===
-This is useful if there are any solitary masses that can be excised.
+Surgery is the treatment of choice for haemangiosarcoma in the dog and cat. All diseased tissue should be removed and splenic haemangiosarcoma should be treated via splenectomy. Local removal is difficult if the pericardium and right atrium is involved. A pericardectomy can be undertaken but the prognosis with tumours at this location is grave.
 ===Chemotherapy===
 This will provide a palliative treatment for animals with multiple masses or as an adjuvant therapy post-operatively.
+Doxorubicin based products are the most commonly used drugs for haemangiosarcomas.
 ==Prognosis==
 Poor due to high risk of metastasis in the early course of the disease.
+{{Learning
+|Vetstream = [https://www.vetstream.com/canis/Content/Disease/dis01993.asp Haemangiosarcoma]
+|flashcards = [[Liver_Flashcards_-_Pathology|Liver Pathology Flashcards]]
+|literature search = [http://www.cabdirect.org/search.html?rowId=1&options1=AND&q1=Haemangiosarcoma&occuring1=title&rowId=2&options2=AND&q2=&occuring2=freetext&rowId=3&options3=AND&q3=&occuring3=freetext&x=55&y=10&publishedstart=yyyy&publishedend=yyyy&calendarInput=yyyy-mm-dd&la=any&it=any&show=all Haemangiosarcoma]
+|full text = [http://www.cabi.org/cabdirect/FullTextPDF/2010/20103181324.pdf ''' A review and what's new in canine hemangiosarcoma.''' Garrett, L. D.; The North American Veterinary Conference, Gainesville, USA, Small animal and exotics. Proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference, Orlando, Florida, USA, 16-20 January 2010, 2010, pp 956-959]
+}}
 ==References==
@@ Line 78: / Line 57: @@
+{{review}}
-[[Category:Liver,_Primary_Tumours]]
+{{OpenPages}}
+[[Category:Liver,_Primary_Tumours]][[Category:Cardiac Diseases - Dog]][[Category:Lymphoreticular and Haematopoietic Diseases - Dog]][[Category:Peritoneal Cavity Diseases - Dog]][[Category:Cardiac Diseases - Cat]][[Category:Lymphoreticular and Haematopoietic Diseases - Cat]][[Category:Peritoneal Cavity Diseases - Cat]]
 [[Category:Peritoneal_Cavity_-_Neoplastic_Pathology]]
 [[Category:Neoplasia]][[Category:Splenic Neoplasia]]
-[[Category:To Do - Caz]]
+[[Category:Expert_Review]]
+[[Category:Cardiology Section]]