Mast Cell Tumor

[BobR]

My 7 yr old Kelpie Ginger had surgery for  a mast cell tumor on her right hind leg
Biopsy  report says:
 1.  "Surgical margins incomplete"..............    My question-Does "incomplete" mean positive
 2.  "The MST extends to one of the cross-sectional cutaneous margins and to the deep margins and

      entire excision cannot be verified".. .........My question-Does "cannot be verified" mean tumor not entirely excised

      or unable to tell whether entirely excised? 

 Can anyone help me with this?

 Bob in the USA
 

[sheena]

Would it maybe be better to ask the Vet??

[persephone]

Hi, BobR ,
When your dog goes back for stitch removal/check-up ..ask the vet to explain it to you , or perhaps a nurse at the clinic could do it by phone ? 
I hope all goes well after this surgery now . 

[mackiemad]

Safe or good margins generally means a really good amount was taken from a distance all around the tumour - if it was on the leg it can be pretty hard to get really good margins as its often a couple of extra centimetres in diameter from the end of the obvious tumour. 

 

Ask you vet to go through it all with you, it will give you a little peace of mind. Hope the dog pulls up well from the surgery 

[karen15]

My staffy had to be reoperated on as there were still cancerous cells in the margins on one of his mast cell removals (abdomen). I think that is what your report means - the tumour was removed but the margins are showing cancerous cells.

 

If the margins come back clear, that means all  cancerous cells from the site were removed.

 

I'm surprised your vet hasn't explained what the report means and your options. You'd be best to discuss with them as they've seen Ginger and are the experts

[dogbesotted]

hope all goes well for you and you pup!  I am another who recommends asking your vet. Make a list of the questions you have  and go through them..... and keep asking until you have an answer that you understand.  It is your right to have full understandable explanations of what the results are.

 

Adding my late great and beautiful Lucinda was dxd with MCT aged 5. The grade 3, no clean margins and she had an awful reaction to the surgery. In fact I was advised by the oncologist to take her home for a few days to say goodbye. However Lucinda had a different plane and with the help of our local vet and an amazing holistic vet Lucinda lived a full and contented life as a working livestock guardian and boss lady of the pack. She passed away  6 years  later.   So no matter how bleak things seem ... it is not always so. Keep the faith.