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Evangeline
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» Tue Mar 11, 2003 4:49 pm
Well, it sucks, but hopefully, they removed all of it before it had time to spread.
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Zoe
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» Wed Mar 12, 2003 12:03 am
Hey Briana. That will be wonderful if Dr. Murray managed to get it all. Poor Sal. At least he's in good hands... yours and Dr. Murray's. Keep us updated please.
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melcvt00
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» Thu Mar 13, 2003 10:13 am
He's already out of that 30% that aren't benign. Carcinoma is malignant. I can't remember, and I don't feel like going back through...were chest x-rays done?
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briana d
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» Thu Mar 13, 2003 11:01 am
I know it is malignant. I don't believe chest z-rays were done. What would be the benefits of having chest x-rays?
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melcvt00
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» Thu Mar 13, 2003 11:04 am
Malignant tumors metastasize. Meaning, little pieces shoot off and attach to other places. Lungs are usually the first place where new tumors grow. And guinea pigs are small enough, it's easy to do full-body x-rays. I would wait until after the incision is healed, though.
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briana d
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» Thu Mar 13, 2003 11:05 am
He is getting his staples out this Saturday - I'll mention this to my vet. Thanks!
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melcvt00
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» Thu Mar 13, 2003 11:07 am
And since that tumor was malignant, I'd recommend x-rays every 6 months.
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briana d
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» Thu Mar 13, 2003 11:07 am
One more question. I was told that the margins were clean. If pieces of the tumor attached somewhere else do you think the margins would still show to be clean?
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melcvt00
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» Thu Mar 13, 2003 11:09 am
Let me put it to you this way...all tumors like that have a blood supply. There were tiny blood vessels traveling through that tumor to keep it "alive". Before it was removed, individual cells could have been sloughed off (broken off) and gone into the blood stream. Those cells could end up anywhere.
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briana d
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» Thu Mar 13, 2003 11:22 am
So if cells broke off and made it to the blood stream the whole clean margin thing means nothing?
Is x-ray the only way to determine another tumor? Should I request any blood test be done or anything?
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melcvt00
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» Thu Mar 13, 2003 11:26 am
Clean margins mean that the tumor is unlikely to come back in that spot. You might call the vet and ask what the likelihood of that kind of tumor metastasizing is. Some don't very often.
As far as I know, x-ray or ultrasound is the most reliable way to find out if there's another one somewhere.