This 9 year old FS Skipperke mix dog presented with an oral mass when intubated for dental prophy. Appears to involve the hard and soft palates. FNA melanoma, need to stage to decide on surgical removal vs debulking
This 9 year old FS Skipperke mix dog presented with an oral mass when intubated for dental prophy. Appears to involve the hard and soft palates. FNA melanoma, need to stage to decide on surgical removal vs debulking
CT of the head-
An irrregular shaped 4 x 3 x2.5 cm, non-uniformly enhancing soft tissue mass is seen at the soft palate. The caudal aspect of the palatinal veil is not involved in the mass. The hard palate and hamulus of the pterygoid bone do not reveal osteolysis. However, subtle regional permeative osteolysis of the floor of the right bony orbita and caudal maxilla is seen. The right submandibular and medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes present mild symmetrical enlargement with maintained short-to-long axis ratio < 0.5 and regular contrast enhancement pattern.
. The macroscopic features of the lymph node changes are suggestive for reactive hyperplasia. However, it is known that oral melanomas posess a highly malignant biological behavior and micormetastasize early during the course of the disease.
Marginal resection of the soft tissue mass followed by hypofractionated radiative treatment is the current standard with the best reported treatment response in malignant oral melanomas. In this case functionality of the swallowing process and the risk of development of postoperative aspiration pneumonia has to be considered too and may not allow for complete resection but rather cytoreductive surgery.
A new promising tumor autovaccine can be used paralleling the postoperative radiation therapy. An oncology referral center in Switzerland owns the license for use of that autovaccine and can create a contact if desired.
