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Prevalence of regional and distant metastasis in cats with advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma: 49 cases (2005–2011)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of regional and distant metastasis in cats with advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a retrospective case series. Forty-nine cats with cytologically- or histopathologically-confirmed oral SCC presented to the Matthew J Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. History, clinical and laboratory results, diagnostic imaging findings and survival times were obtained from the medical records of patients who received diagnostic evaluation for metastasis. The prevalence of metastasis was assessed by means of mandibular lymph node cytology and three-view thoracic radiography. The prevalence of mandibular lymph node metastasis was 31% (15/49). Evidence of possible thoracic metastasis was seen in 10% (5/49) of cases. Of the patients with mandibular lymph node metastasis, 53% (8/15) were maxillary, 27% mandibular (4/15), 13% sublingual (2/15) and 7% caudal pharyngeal (1/15). Pulmonary metastasis was seen in three mandibular, one maxillary and one sublingual mass. Forty-one patients died or were euthanased owing to progression of local disease, and seven patients were lost to follow-up. The prevalence of regional metastasis in this study was more common than most previously reported studies, while the rate of pulmonary metastasis was higher than has previously been published. Although significant conclusions cannot be drawn, control of the primary tumor, regardless of tumor size at diagnosis, appears to be an important factor in improving survival time, and therefore treatment of metastasis may be important in those cases where long-term control of the primary tumor is possible.