David Ruslander, DVM, DACVIM, DACVR

Soft tissue sarcomas comprise 7% and 15% of all skin and subcutaneous tumors in cats and dogs, respectively. The annual incidence of soft tissue sarcomas in companion animals is approximately 17 per 100,000 cats and 35 per 100,000 dogs.

Mast cell tumors (MCT) are the most frequently encountered dermal/subcutaneous neoplasm in dogs representing 7% to 21% of all skin tumors in this species. Most MCT develop in older dogs and no sex predilection has been reported.

Most primary tumors are best treated by surgical excision. Most benign tumors, low grade cutaneous mast cell tumors, odontogenic tumors, or solitary mammary tumors are perhaps best treated by wide surgical excision.

Nasal and paranasal sinus tumors represent only 1-2% of all tumors but 60-80% of all canine respiratory tract tumors, and are even less frequent in cats. Nasal tumors occur most commonly in the nasal cavity with secondary extension into the frontal and other paranasal sinuses.

The process of radiation oncology from the time of patient identification to completion of radiation therapy is undoubtedly a complex one and requires significant communication between all services from the moment a potential radiation patient is seen and certainly prior to any surgical intervention. Listed below is an outline of the radiation process and treatment considerations at each step.

Tyrosine kinases are proteins that phosphorylate other proteins on tyrosine residues thereby regulating cell growth and differentiation. They bind ATP and use this to add phosphate groups to key residues on themselves (termed autophosphorylation) and on other molecules, resulting in intracellular signaling and alterations in gene transcription that affect cell proliferation and survival.