Squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal planum in 17 dogs

Squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal planum was diagnosed in 17 dogs over a period of 11 years. Ulceration, bleeding and sneezing were the most common clinical signs. One dog had cytological evidence of metastasis to the loca l lymph node. The dogs were treated by surgical resection, fractionated meg avoltage irradiation, or a combination of the two. Surgical resection gave the most favourable results; four of six dogs were cured but a recurrence o f the tumour was predicted in the other two on the basis of incomplete or m arginal resection. Radiotherapy alone was not as effective; one of four dog s was cured, and the tumour recurred in the others within 24 weeks (median eight weeks). Combined surgical resection and radiotherapy did not produce a cure in any of the seven remaining dogs, and the tumour recurred within 1 2 weeks (median nine weeks). Three dogs had cytological evidence of lymph n ode metastasis when the tumour recurred. The dogs' prognosis was adversely affected by the interval between their initial examination and treatment, b ut there was no apparent association between the histological grade of the tumour and the clinical outcome.