CUTANEOUS HEMANGIOSARCOMA IN 25 DOGS - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Hemangiosarcomas confined to the skin and underlying muscle were surgi cally excised in 25 dogs. Tumors were staged based on their histologic al location (ie, dermal, hypodermal, and deep). Dermal (stage I) heman giosarcomas were small, most commonly ventral-abdominal or prepucial i n location, and were associated with prolonged survival times (median survival, 780 days). Tumors with hypodermal (stage II) and underlying muscular involvement (stage III) were grouped together because of thei r larger size, bruise-like appearance, lack of anatomic predilection, biological behavior, and shorter survival times (median survival of 17 2 and 307 days for dogs with stages II and III, respectively). We conc lude that dermal hemangiosarcomas may be effectively treated with surg ery alone, whereas hemangiosarcomas located within the hypodermal tiss ues bear a poor prognosis and warrant wide surgical excision with adju vant chemotherapy.