First off, Mast Cell cancer is a WAAAAYYY better diagnosis than osteosarcoma. I say this because it is so much less aggressive and it doesn't cause the pain or fractures of OSA. That said, no cancer is good, and it's a scary thing to hear about someone you love.

As Karen said, we've been at the Mast Cell thing for more than four years now. Rio has gone the gamut of treatment, and only underwent the amputation because her most recent tumor grew in her lymph node. If I had to do it all over again, knowing now what I didn't know back then, I'd probably not change anything. It's been traumatic and heartbreaking and scary and frustrating. Rio's never once stopped fighting. She's had days where she didn't feel very well, but she's never stopped smiling through all of this.

Mast Cell cancer can go years without metastasis. In most cases, surgical removal with wide margins are considered "cures." Rio's was atypical in that it was locally aggressive. We removed it, and within weeks it was back in the same area. Another surgery, and it came back even quicker. We did a third surgery followed by radiation, and she was fine for two years. Because her cancer came back after that, we knew that she was on the "bad" side of the statistics for this cancer. So we chose a more aggressive route for her subsequent treatments.

The x-rays seem odd -- typically to check for spread of disease they do an ultrasound, since MCT goes to the liver, spleen and bone marrow. The cytology will likely be for c-KIT mutation, which will better define what sort of treatment options will be appropriate. Some of the drugs work better on non-mutated c-KIT. Since MCT doesn't go to the lungs, it seems that they don't really need to x-ray (just my opinion, but my oncologist said the same when Rio developed a cough). I would definitely ask about that, because it starts to add up quickly, so if you can avoid some of the expenses.....

I would be happy to answer any specific questions that you might have about our experiences. Just send me a PM...

Good luck, and hang in there.

Rio and Micki

Rumbles had one surgery to remove two tumors…the one in his "underarm" tested as MCT, the one on his elbow as hemangiopericytoma. Six months later the hemangio tumor recurred and we amputated.

The mast cell tumor has not shown its ugly little cancer face again. Hopefully it will stay away.

Based on our experience with MCT, I would try tumor removal surgery first as it is much less expensive, much less invasive and much less traumatic than amputation.

Best of luck to you and your pup.

With my own experience with Mast Cell, I would still opt for surgical removal of the tumor over amputation. Here's why: Mast Cell cancer has a 50% chance of being completely cured with a simple excision. Granted, if it does come back you are looking at more surgery and additional expense, but there is always the possibility that even with amputation, the Mast Cell will reoccur somewhere else, and so you'd still be looking at additional treatment costs.

You could look at one of the targeted therapies (Palladia or Kinavet) to shrink the tumor, then do the surgical removal, too.

Just my two cents....

I'm still mystified by your vet's use of x-ray vs. ultrasound for the abdomen check. We've been seen by numerous oncology specialists, several different vets, etc., and never have had an x-ray. Did he say why he used x-ray instead?

Micki