Having lost 3 dogs in the past to mast cell tumors, Im interested to see if there is any new treatments or breakthroughs in research for this issue in dogs. Each time I look at my dogs now, I keep hoping I will not have this issue again.

I'd be interested in this answer as well. We lost one as well, but she lived 5-6 years after diagnosis without much issue. She was 12-13 when she passed, so it's hard to say her life was cut short due to the cancer.

Dealing with this now as well. I just scheduled a vet appointment due to a flare up over the last week. Simplicef and Prednisone worked in March to shrink a tumor on the upper lip. Looking to have those prescribed again.

I took my dog to a canine oncologist in April. He confirmed that the tumor is malignant but wanted $3500 just to determine staging before pursuing surgery/treatment. After evaluating the cost of staging and possible treatments, I decided to give my dog the best remaining time for her that I can. She's spoiled and happy for now.

Stelfonta seems to be a promising treatment. My vet has seen it work and the oncologist I saw said the same but I didn't want to shell out $3500 for a diagnostic procedure for a 10 year old dog before Stelfonta would be considered.

Most mast cells are not going to spread and cause the death of the dog. There are certainly some that do, and some that are in locations that are not able to be removed surgically so quality of life suffers (ulcerated mass on lower limb etc).

If surgical removal is not an option, as far as I know (not an oncologist, just GP), there is Stelfonta which has certain guidelines on when it can be used - size of mass, location, and no distant mets (so the staging is required) - this is an injection directly into the tumor to kill it, and it sloughs off leaving a wound that then heals by second intention.

Palladia is used for dogs with recurrent mast cells - oral chemo drug option. $$$ for big dogs.
Radiation can be used, chemo I'm sure but I couldn't tell you which protocols now (all I remember is Vinblastine blasts mast cells).

Staging is going to be a requirement for anything at an oncologist. I don't know that it'd be $3500 - but at a minimum bloodwork, chest x-rays and abdominal ultrasound (most GP clinics would run you around $800-1500 for all that) along with fine needle aspirate of the mass and cytology. Mass removal and histopathology probably would be another $1000-3000 depending on size, location, and clinic.

I've had a few patients that either didn't quality for surgery (bad anesthetic candidate, mass too large to get margins on) so we just managed with Benadryl, Pred if needed, Prilosec/Pepcid.

One thing I don't do is give my dogs monthly flea and tick pills or pour ons … i only use flea shampoo if I see a flea.. I'm a strong believer that these "medicines / pesticides " are what is giving dogs cancer …. My company delt w pesticide solvents for years .. anything that is designed to kill critters is not gonna be something I would give my dogs .. i don't like even giving them the heart worm shots every 6 months .. anyway .. a little off the subject but my 2 cents as to why I think so many dogs get cancer

My mom just lost her 10 year old Scotty .. throat cancer ..

Slight hijack regarding another type of cancer....hemangiosarcoma. Lost a dog at 5 years old to one that ruptured. I know once it's ruptured, there's nothing you can do.

But is there monitoring you can do as the dog grows up to try to catch them quick enough to remove them? Like imaging every 6 months? Or is that all just a fool's errand?

My boy got a diagnosis of mast cell tumor today. It's literally an aggressive growth right in the area immediate his pecker.

Surgery is for Thursday to get it removed. He's 5 years old and is the best boy. Not sure about what to do overall, but definitely feels like this growth came out of nowhere overnight. I rub his belly all the time and never noticed it.

I hate cancer.

Good luck brother

There is a new immunotherapy treatment for both oral melanoma and mast cell tumor called Gilvetmab. It is conditionally licensed now, so only available at select oncologists (if I understand correctly), but it shows promise.

More Info

Dogdoc said:

---

There is a new immunotherapy treatment for both oral melanoma and mast cell tumor called Gilvetmab. It is conditionally licensed now, so only available at select oncologists (if I understand correctly), but it shows promise.

More Info

---

Do you know if A&M Oncology department would be able to have access to this treatment?

My pup had surgery today and they removed the tumor and got good margin. But the MCT has metastasized to at least the nearest lymph node. The Vet didn't remove the lymph node cause he'd been under already for quite some time.

We are kind of in a holding pattern until we can get in with A&M Oncologist (should they choose to accept the case) and get the genetics back from the tumor to see how aggressive of a MCTs we are dealing with here.

I don't know. This stuff is brand new. I just learned about it 3 weeks ago at a continuing education conference.

There is a blood screening test called K9Onco that can detect hemangiosarcoma and some other malignant tumors fairly well. Ultrasounds every 6 months is another option.

You potentially could have the lymph node removed and sent to Torigen to make a vaccine from it as well. I've done this with two high grade mast cell tumor dogs. One did great. The other didn't seem to help, but it also had melanosarcoma too.

bmfvet said:

---

You potentially could have the lymph node removed and sent to Torigen to make a vaccine from it as well. I've done this with two high grade mast cell tumor dogs. One did great. The other didn't seem to help, but it also had melanosarcoma too.

---

Thank you sir! I appreciate the ideas and feedback/ideas