Cancer Diagnosis

Early diagnosis, during the first stages of cancer development, leads to a precocious therapeutic strategy, with chances of recovery or prolongation of the patient’s life expectancy. The diagnosis of a neoplasm is based on lesions and pathophysiological manifestations that can attract the suspicion of primary tumor, metastases or paraneoplastic syndromes. Clinical examination, along with adequate anamnesis, is the first impact between the veterinary oncologist and the patient. Paraclinical investigation methods are frequently used (radiology, cytology, blood examination, puncture, biopsy, etc.).

Clinical examination may detect deformations of some body regions or slight cutaneous or subcutaneous prominences, different from normal ones in a tissue. Likewise, inspection and palpation can identify tumor formations in accessible natural cavities (oral, pharyngeal, laryngeal, vaginal cavities, preputial mucosa, etc.), and deep palpation detects the form and consistency of parenchymatous abdominal organs (kidney, liver, spleen, etc.), with possible peculiarities induced by the tumor.

The lesions detected by clinical examination become suspect in the case of the identification of cutaneous or subcutaneous nodules, infiltrated plaques, hemorrhages, erosions or ulcerations, compact tissue masses; single, multiple or generalized lymph node hypertrophies; bone deformations or other changes that would involve tumor growths.

Symptoms and lesions with chronic or recurrent evolution are considered as possible neoplastic states. Of general symptoms, the following will be considered as suspicions of tumor disease: fever, weight loss and anorexia, then polyuria-polydipsia, polyphagia, and behavioral disorders. General symptoms are: seizures, urogenital disorders, fluids in the cavities, hemorrhagic states, and anemic syndrome.

Cancer diagnosis includes three stages:

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– location of the tumor process;
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– evaluation of its extension;
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– determination of its histological nature [4].

The location of the tumor process requires a thorough clinical examination, with adequate anamnesis and paraclinical investigations. A cancer diagnosis can be supposed in cases such as:

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– presence of a lesion (particularly cutaneous) that cannot be characterized with certainty;
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– presence of functional symptoms that are resistant to therapy or have rapid and systematic recurrences when treatment is suppressed (vomiting, diarrhea, melena, hematuria, seizures, cough, dyspnea, various secretions, etc.);
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– weight loss of animals with no obvious reason;
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– when changes in the shape or size of certain structures are found (inspection, palpation);
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– when hematologic or biochemical abnormalities are identified (hyperthyroidism, hypercorticism, hypercalcemia, hyperproteinemia).

Clinical examination is essential and sufficient in most cases.

Inspection and palpation allow to detect cutaneous and subcutaneous lesions that may involve connective, muscle, bone, lymphoid or glandular tissue. Lesions of some accessible mucosae (oral cavity, rectum, vagina, prepuce) can also be identified. Abdominal palpation can detect the tumor formation.