My horse was diagnosed with a GCT tumor. What's next?

Hello. This may be a sarcoid, but without a biopsy there is no way to know definitively. Unfortunately, this site prohibits us from giving out any kind of medical advice, & ethically, it would just be wrong to do so. There are other advice sites that are more generous with information since we can have an actual chat. You might try to access one of these & see if someone can help you there. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Yogi! I am sorry you are going through this. It is hard to jump in to a case like this with only a CT image. It might be better for you to sign up for a consult with one of out Vets to have a one on one text conversation. My impression of the CT is that there is a mass in Yogi's chest, in the mediastinum. There is abnormal fluid accumulation likely from the mass and there are also suspicious nodules with in his lung tissue. Which I think is safe to assume is metastatic. If Yogi was my dog and he had a chest tumor with suspected metastatic disease I wouldn't pursue further diagnosistics or surgery as his prognosis is very poor. To put him through a painful surgery when it has spread seems unfair for him. If the "biopsy" was really an aspirate they tend to sometimes be non-diagnostic as most tumor cells do not exfoliate well in to a needle. A true tissue sample would be needed. I am not sure knowing which type of cancer he has will change how I would proceed. Another option is to see a Veterinary Specialist. I would recommend an Oncologist. Sitting down with all the tests and having a discussion may help you. You can also call your Vet and ask to sit and talk about the results with out Yogi present. Just so you know all that you can before making any decisions. I am again very sorry for you and Yogi. Let me know if I can help in any other way.

I’m sorry to hear about Tsunami’s diagnosis. MCTs are quite common in dogs, and unfortunately due to the cell distribution around the primary tumor, incomplete margins are common. If you want to be confident you’re pursuing the best options for the best prognosis, I recommend asking your vet for an oncologist referral. A veterinary oncologist will be the best specialist to be able to present all the options and their given pros & cons, and they have access to chemo medications that most primary vets don’t carry. If you choose not to pursue referral, then I recommend reaching out to your vet again to discuss the next step. If this were my case, I would probably recommend sampling Tsunami’s lymph nodes with a needle to look for evidence of regional metastasis, and based on those findings discuss if a second surgery is appropriate. Hope this helps!

Unfortunately I cannot contact you outside this site :-( My recommendation is to have your vet contact a vet at a vet school in the US for guidance and help with the surgery. Vets will consult with other vets for help with surgeries, and many vet are willing to provide this help. That way, your vet gets one on one help. Best of luck!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am glad we can give you some assistance! I am not familiar with your previous questions regarding Sweetie but if the tumor is ulcerated, that is not typically a good sign. It sounds like tumor needs to be removed surgically. It is a bit difficult to advise you without seeing the tumor myself and I'm not 100% sure what your question is exactly. You want us to suggest something meaning what? To apply topically to the tumor? For bandaging? To stop the bleeding? I'm not exactly sure what you are looking for. If the tumor is ulcerated she is most likely going to need to get some antibiotics. It is also very difficult to give you advice if we don't know your location. It does no good for us to recommend products that you cannot obtain in your area. Please post again with more information. Thank you.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on these reports, I would recommend a referral to an oncologist to talk about treatment options for this cancerous mass. These types of tumors can be quite aggressive and may involve surgical debulking of the mass in addition to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. I would discuss this with the veterinarian that performed these diagnostics in regards to who he / she would recommend for an oncologist so that you can discuss your options for Tiny. I wish you the best of luck and please do not hesitate to contact us further if you have any other questions / concerns.

I am sorry to hear that and I can understand the frustration but it is not uncommon that very severe problems are spotted during a normal consultation. To discuss it I would recommend to describe the problem in further details and eventually post some pictures. We won't be able to tell you much if we do not know: - what type of cancer it is and what tests were performed by your vet. - what type of chemotherapy your vet suggested - how your dog is doing (general comment on his health status) Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.