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Updated: Apr 21, 2026
Surgical Procedures and Methodology for a Preclinical Murine Model of De Novo Mammary Cancer Metastasis
Published on: July 29, 2017
The use of adjuvant chemotherapy in cats with mammary carcinomas undergoing surgical removal
Pico Question:
In cats with mammary carcinomas undergoing surgical removal, does the addition of adjuvant chemotherapy compared with surgical removal alone result in increased survival time?
Category Of Research:
Treatment.
Number And Type Of Study Designs Reviewed:
Five retrospective cohort studies were critically reviewed.
Strength Of Evidence:
Weak.
Outcomes Reported:
In cats with mammary carcinomas undergoing surgical removal, the addition of adjuvant chemotherapy compared with surgical removal alone was significantly associated with an increase in disease-specific survival time in one of the studies. This statistical significance was not found in the other four papers.
Conclusion:
All five studies reviewed presented weak evidence for the clinical question due to their retrospective nature and weak study design. It is, therefore, concluded that there is not enough evidence to suggest that cats with mammary carcinomas that have undergone surgical treatment will have a longer survival time if treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. More prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blinded studies are needed to understand the clinical significance of adjuvant chemotherapy in cats with mammary carcinomas.
