Vet-OncoNet: Malignancy Analysis of Neoplasms in Dogs and Cats

• Published in: Veterinary sciences Vol. 9; no. 10; p. 535
• Main Authors: Pinello, Katia, Amorim, Irina, Pires, Isabel, Canadas-Sousa, Ana, Catarino, José, Faísca, Pedro, Branco, Sandra, Peleteiro, Maria C., Silva, Daniela, Severo, Milton, Niza-Ribeiro, João
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 28.09.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Animals; Cancer; cat; Cell division; Decision making; dog; Dogs; Females; Genetic structure; Laboratories; Malignancy; Medical screening; Morphology; Mutation; Pathology; Risk groups; Topography; Trends; Tumors; Veterinary medicine; veterinary oncology
• ISSN: 2306-7381; 2306-7381
• DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9100535

Analysis of canine and feline tumor malignancy data can help clinicians identify high-risk patients and make more accurate decisions. Based on a sample of 16,272 cancer records, including 3266 cats and 13,006 dogs, collected from January 2019 to December 2021 in the Vet-OncoNet Network database, this study aimed to compare the tumor malignancy profile between cats and dogs, considering animal-related factors (sex, age, and breed), topography, and geographic location using a mixed-effects logistic regression model. Cats had a higher proportion of malignant tumors (78.7%) than dogs (46.2%), and the malignancy profile was very different regarding tumors’ topographies. The mean age of malignant tumors occurred eight months later than benign ones (9.1, SD = 3.4; 9.8, SD = 3.2), in general. Species (OR = 3.96, 95%CI 3.57: 4.39) and topography (MOR = 4.10) were the two most important determinants of malignancy risk. Female dogs had a higher risk than male dogs (OR = 1.19, 95%CI 1.08: 1.31), which does not appear to be the case in cats (OR = 0.98, 95%CI 0.77: 1.23). Breed contributed significantly to differences in malignancy risk in dogs (MOR = 1.56), particularly in pit bulls and boxers. District of residence was not so relevant in predicting malignancy risk (MOR = 1.14). In both species, the risk of malignancy increased by approximately 20% every three years. It could be hypothesized that species differences in genetic structure may contribute to tumor malignancy.