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Treatment Options for a Dog with Adenocarcinoma of the Apocrine Gland

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Lili Duda, VMD
Last Modified: November 1, 2001

Dear OncoLink "Ask the Experts,"
Our 7-year-old male Westie recently had surgery for adenocarcinoma of the apocrine gland. We were interested in additional information since it is apparently rather rare.

Lili Duda, VMD, Editor of the OncoLink Veterinary Oncology Section, responds:

Treatment depends in part on the specific location of the primary tumor. In general, these tumors are locally invasive, and have the potential to spread to draining lymph nodes and lung. The most important part of the treatment is to control the primary tumor (with surgery and/or radiation therapy). Chemotherapy might be indicated if there is risk of spread of the primary tumor, which is based on staging evaluation (chest X-rays, +/- abdominal ultrasound depending on tumor type and location, and aspiration cytology of the draining lymph nodes) and the biopsy report (microscopic evaluation of the tumor).