Hemangiosarcoma still most frequent....

Brain Metastases From Solid Cancers in 58 Dogs

Samuel Okonji 1, Federica Rossi 2, Silvia Sabattini 1, Massimo Baroni 3, Federica Poli 3, Riccardo Zaccone 1, Simone Perfetti 1, Gualtiero Gandini 1, Laura Marconato 1

Background:
Brain metastases (BM) are increasingly recognized in human oncology but are understudied in dogs. Historically reported as rare and diagnosed postmortem, their actual incidence in dogs is unclear. Haemangiosarcoma, carcinomas, and melanoma are the most frequently implicated tumors. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, primary tumor histology, imaging findings, treatment approaches, and prognostic indicators in dogs with presumed BM, detected either at diagnosis or during follow-up.

Methods:
This multicenter retrospective study analyzed medical records from three veterinary centers in Italy from 2011 to 2024. Included were 58 dogs with histologically confirmed non-lymphomatous solid cancers and BM identified via total-body CT, brain MRI, or necropsy. Data collected included demographics, tumor characteristics, imaging patterns, neurological signs, metastasis status, treatments, and survival post-BM (SPBM). Logistic and Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate prognostic factors.

Results:
The majority of primary tumors were haemangiosarcoma (53.4%), carcinoma (27.6%), and melanoma (12.1%). BM were synchronous in 63.8% and solitary in 51.7% of cases. Neurological signs were present in 79% of dogs, and lesions predominantly affected the prosencephalon. Advanced imaging showed that haemangiosarcomas were more likely to produce multiple metastases. The median SPBM was 3 days; 3- and 6-month survival rates were 8.6% and 1.7%, respectively. Dogs with haemangiosarcoma or distant metastases at presentation were significantly more likely to develop synchronous BM. Treatment was infrequently administered and did not significantly improve outcomes.

Limitations:
This retrospective study had limited sample size and variability in diagnostic and treatment protocols. Only a minority of cases had MRI or necropsy confirmation, possibly underestimating BM prevalence. Neurological assessments were not uniformly performed, and treatment heterogeneity limited evaluation of therapeutic efficacy. Lack of a control group precluded prevalence estimation.

Conclusions:
BM in dogs, though historically underdiagnosed, are more prevalent in haemangiosarcoma, carcinoma, and melanoma, often presenting with neurological symptoms and poor prognosis. Synchronous presentation and prosencephalic localization are common. Despite the dismal outcomes, early detection through advanced imaging could aid in better understanding and management, warranting further multi-institutional prospective studies.

Disclaimer: The summary generated in this email was created by an AI large language model. Therefore errors may occur. Reading the article is the best way to understand the scholarly work. The figure presented here remains the property of the publisher or author and subject to the applicable copyright agreement. It is reproduced here as an educational work. If you have any questions or concerns about the work presented here, reply to this email.