abs: Outcome and Complications Associated with Surgical Treatment of Canine Malignant Peripheral Nerve Tumors
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Malignant peripheral nerve tumors (MPNST) of a large plexus nerve or nerve root causes significant morbidity and presents a challenge for treatment. The surgical approach required for these cases can be complex and information on outcome is lacking. The objective was to describe oncologic outcomes, and intra- and post-operative complication rates for dogs with MPNST arising from either the brachial or lumbosacral plexus nerves that underwent resection. Dogs treated for a naïve MPNST that was treated with an amputation and/or hemilaminectomy were retrospectively analyzed. Oncologic outcomes were disease free interval (DFI), overall survival (OS), and 1- and 2-year survival rates. Thirty-two dogs were included. The surgery performed was amputation alone in 18 cases (56%), and amputation plus hemilaminectomy in 14 cases (44%). Four dogs (13%) had confirmed recurrence: 2 locally and 2 distant. Six dogs (19%) and 12 dogs (38%) had a had an intraoperative and post-operative complication respectively. The median DFI was 96 days (95% CI: 0-554 days). The disease specific median OS was 570 days (95% CI: 481-660 days) with a 1-year and 2-year survival rate of 84% and 66% respectively. These data show that the surgery to address MPNSTs in the brachial or lumbosacral plexus were associated with a relatively high intra- and post-operative complication rate but with fair disease outcomes. The main limitation was the retrospective nature and the small sample size. This information will guide clinicians in decision making before and after surgery and provide owners an expectation of outcome and risk of surgical intervention.