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Primary Peritoneal Perivesical Hemangiosarcoma in 16 Dogs (2020-2024)
Jose Roca1, Xavier Escoda1, Miguel García-de la Virgen2
1Oncology Service Anicura Glòries Hospital Veterinari, Barcelona, Spain.
Background:
Canine hemangiosarcoma (HSA) commonly arises in the spleen, heart, and skin, whereas primary peritoneal presentations are rare and poorly characterized. A perivesical peritoneal location without involvement of adjacent organs has not been previously well described.
Objective:
This study aims to characterize the clinical presentation, diagnostic features, treatment, and outcomes of dogs with primary peritoneal perivesical HSA.
Animals:
This study included 16 client-owned dogs diagnosed with peritoneal perivesical HSA at 2 referral centres between 2020 and 2024.
Methods:
Methods consisted of retrospective multicentre case series. Medical records were reviewed for clinical signs, laboratory abnormalities, imaging findings, diagnostic procedures, treatment, metastatic status, and outcome measures, including progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-specific survival time (DSST).
Results:
Common presenting signs included lethargy, hyporexia, pale mucous membranes, and abdominal distension. Hemoperitoneum was identified in 50% of the dogs. Frequent laboratory abnormalities included anaemia, thrombocytopenia, neutrophilia, and azotaemia. All dogs had a mass adjacent to the urinary bladder without evidence of origin from surrounding organs. Diagnosis was achieved by cytology or histopathology. Metastatic disease was suspected at diagnosis in 56.25% of the dogs, most commonly affecting the lungs, and the overall metastatic rate was 87.5%. Treatment protocols included chemotherapy alone (n = 8), surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 7), and neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (n = 1). All surgical procedures consisted of debulking surgery. Chemotherapy alone resulted in a 55.55% partial response rate. Mean PFS and DSST were both 125 days. Combination therapy, response to chemotherapy, and rescue treatment were significantly associated with improved DSST.
Conclusions:
Primary peritoneal perivesical HSA may represent a distinct anatomical presentation of canine HSA. Multimodal treatment strategies may improve clinical outcomes and survival in affected dogs.