While there are no known ways to prevent lymphoma in dogs, we do see this cancer in certain breeds more frequently (Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Boxer, Bull Mastiff, Basset Hound, St. Bernard, Scottish Terrier, Airedale, and Bulldog).
Lymphoma is a relatively common cancer, accounting for 15-20% of new cancer diagnoses in dogs. It is most common in middle-aged and older dogs, and some breeds are predisposed.
How is canine lymphoma treated? The most effective therapy for most types of canine lymphoma is chemotherapy. In some cases, surgery or radiation therapy may also be recommended. There are numerous chemotherapy treatment protocols for dogs with multicentric lymphoma.
The best way to diagnose lymphoma is to perform a biopsy. A biopsy is a minor surgical procedure to remove a piece of lymph node or other organ affected by cancer. The most common methods for lymph node biopsy are Tru-cut needle biopsy, incisional wedge biopsy, or removal of an entire lymph node (excisional biopsy).
Lymphoma is a disease that can be wonderfully responsive to treatment, but for veterinary patients, it is not cured. In most cases, chemotherapy is the recommended treatment. Without treatment, the average lifespan of a dog with lymphoma is very short, usually 1-2 months.
Malignant lymphoma is a common cancer in dogs. It is a progressive, deadly disease caused by the harmful growth of lymphocytes. Lymphoma most commonly arises from lymphoid tissues in the bone marrow, thymus, lymph nodes, or spleen. Other common sites include the skin, eye, central nervous system, and bone.
Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph nodes and lymphatic system. This cancer may be localized to one particular region, or may spread throughout the entire body. The lymphatic system includes the lymph nodes, specialized lymphatic organs such as the spleen and tonsils, and the lymphatic vessels.
Systemic lymphoma is a very common cancer in dogs, but the cutaneous form is actually quite rare. Current statistics suggest that cutaneous lymphoma accounts for only about 5% of canine lymphoma cases. Canine cutaneous lymphoma can present in quite a variety of lesions.
Malignant lymphocytes travel through the lymph vessels to nearby lymph nodes. Soon all the nodes are enlarged. As the disease progresses, internal organs such as the liver, spleen, and bone marrow become affected. Flu-like symptoms progress and ultimately result in the death of the patient.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the seventh most diagnosed cancer, accounting for an estimated 72,500 cases in 2016. More than 86 percent of patients diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma survive five years or more. About 70 percent of patients diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma survive five years or more.
Low-Grade Lymphoma These grow so slowly that patients can live for many years mostly without symptoms, although some may experience pain from an enlarged lymph gland. After five to 10 years, low-grade disorders begin to progress rapidly to become aggressive or high-grade and produce more severe symptoms.
The majority of lymphomas are high-grade and rapidly progressive. If left untreated, most dogs reach terminal stages one to two months from presentation.