Can a Grade II Mast Cell Tumor Spread or Come Back?
by A reader
For most grade II mast cell tumors, that's largely true. The majority behave like intermediate tumors: if they're fully removed with clean margins, many dogs are cured, and the risk of spread is low, though not zero. The main concern is regrowth at the same spot, especially if the margins weren't clean.
Ask your vet for the full pathology report and check two things: whether the margins were clean, and whether the tumor was graded as low or high grade under the newer two-tier system, along with its mitotic count. High-grade tumors have a much higher risk of spreading and may need more treatment.
If the margins were narrow or dirty, options include a second surgery or radiation. Your vet may also check the nearby lymph node. Watch the scar and the rest of his skin, and have any new lump checked, since dogs that have had one mast cell tumor can develop others.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
