Early Detection: Advancing Canine Cancer Care

This podcast episode is sponsored by IDEXX

On this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomes Dana Connell, DVM, MPH, DACVIM (Oncology), and Zachary L. Neumann, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology) to talk about the importance of early cancer detection in canine patients and how it cam improve outcomes.

Throughout the episode, the trio takes a deep diver into how the Cancer DX test works and can be incoporated into routine wellness panels or used for sick patients. By providing results within days, veterinary professionals can use this new test as a way to make timely decisions for patients.

Below is a partial transcript, edited lightly for clarity.

Adam Christman, DVM, MBA: As a generalist, that's what's most important to me, too. Just, you know, tell me what works does the data show that it's representation of the population of patients that I see in day to day practice? And it certainly sounds like it is. Let's talk about this, because we know that as veterinarians, sometimes we have a hard time implementing something into process. You know, we go to the conferences. We hear about these things, we try to figure out the how and the why. So, you know, can you share some examples of how veterinarians are incorporating Cancer DX into their practice?

Zachary L. Neumann, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology): Are you saying that we're skeptics?

Dana Connell, DVM, MPH, DACVIM (Oncology): Never. Veterinarians in general are just not skeptics, right?

Neumann: Rightfully so, right? I mean, you have to be skeptical of things when they're first released to be a good practitioner and a good scientist.

Connell: I would definitely agree with that. I think from the from the data that we can see this test has already been used in a myriad of these cases, which is really exciting. So I see some general practitioners who are incorporating this into every wellness panel for which it's appropriate meaning, and specifically in those at risk breeds or in that at risk age range of 7 and above, to get additional insights. I mean, we have to remember that the the most common result that you are going to receive in those healthy appearing patients is that that that dog does not have lymphoma, has a result not consistent with lymphoma.

Again, I'm going to go back to, you know, the mammography example, I would say most women come out of their mammograms yearly with a, you know, not consistent with cancer, no abnormalities, type diagnosis which gives everybody peace of mind. So I think there's a lot of value there. I have seen this used in patients who have enlarged lymph nodes, and potentially maybe other diagnostics are not feasible for whatever reason, whether that's because of finances, whether that's because we have some clients who are just not in favor of doing aspirates or other more what they would call invasive means of trying to find a diagnosis. We've seen that. We've seen it alongside pathology, so alongside cytology and histopathology to get additional information, or to maybe get a information a little bit faster, since the turnaround time is so short.

And we've also seen it in cases where we have some maybe nebulous signs that aren't really pointing slam dunk to lymphoma, maybe some nebulous GI signs or something like that. Do a Cancer DX, it comes back consistent with lymphoma. That makes the clinician say, hey, you know there's, I don't know there's something maybe here with these, this is a sick patient, but it's not really, you know, your classic lymphoma look. Let's look a little bit deeper, and then they go on to later confirm lymphoma.

So we've had a lot of different cases that we've seen for this, and I think that it's really helping to just give those initial insights in the in the field. We've heard really, really positive things from the field about the test since it's been out.

Neumann: Lymphoma is a great master of disguise, I feel like. And that's where, when it's an aid and diagnosis type test that you have that available. It's super beneficial for lymphoma, specifically because it can be such a such a beast, and it can present and look like so many other things, and can be very difficult good diagnosis on.