Cancer Statistics

[HopeForHounds]

As promised here is a portion of the email Dr Couto sent me today.

 

As promised, here are some answers to your Qs, with data from our survey, that will soon come out in the Journal of Vet Internal medicine (and I will be sending a lay version for CG soon).• 15% mortality within a 2 year period• 58% of Greyhounds died of cancer• 25% of Greyhounds died of osteosarcoma• the prevalence of cancer for Greyhounds was higher than that reported for other breeds• 45% of the cancers diagnosed were osteosarcoma

[cowpantslady]

that is so scary

but could it be that people who own greys report cancer more

my kerry blue died of cancer i don't think we reported it anywhere

 

[galgrey]

Oh my. It's hard seeing it in writing.

 

Thank you for posting.

[Guest PhillyPups]

I so HATE cancer, especially osteo, and I don't hate much.

 

 

Thank you for the information though, and I wish I couldn't, but I sadly say we were a part of that survey.

Edited June 27, 2007 by PhillyPups

[Guest david_42]

I would be very interested in the number of cases every year or cases per thousand greys per year.

[ahicks51]

I remember someone citing Dr. Couto and the statistic that they had managed to get one-year osteosarcoma survival to a little more than 60% with amputation and chemo. I'd be interested if there has been any further release of statistics, such as survival rates with different chemo treatments and so forth.

 

They do some great work there.

[BauersMom]

That's 58% of the cases reported died of cancer? Right?

 

We need to know the sampling methods before we really know what context these numbers are in.

 

Not saying they're off or wrong, but if this was a cancer survey and the people polled were ones affected by cancer, then the numbers will be skewed high. If it was a survey taken across all greyhound owners, then the numbers might be more accurate. I can't tell from just this though.

[Wonder]

I personally thought 58 % was low. I can only think of a few greys that haven't died of cancer

[Houndtime]

I do hate cancer.

It is the thief who robs us, everyday, of those we love.

[silverfish]

As promised here is a portion of the email Dr Couto sent me today.

 

As promised, here are some answers to your Qs, with data from our survey, that will soon come out in the Journal of Vet Internal medicine (and I will be sending a lay version for CG soon).• 15% mortality within a 2 year period• 58% of Greyhounds died of cancer• 25% of Greyhounds died of osteosarcoma• the prevalence of cancer for Greyhounds was higher than that reported for other breeds• 45% of the cancers diagnosed were osteosarcoma

My maths is notoriously bad, but I don't understand these statistics. If 58% of all greys died of cancer, how does it work out that 45% of the cancers were osteosarcoma AND that 25% of greys died of osteosarcoma. Are they sampling other breeds as well? Because if it's just greyhounds, those figures don't seem to add up.

 

 

[ahicks51]

As promised here is a portion of the email Dr Couto sent me today.

 

As promised, here are some answers to your Qs, with data from our survey, that will soon come out in the Journal of Vet Internal medicine (and I will be sending a lay version for CG soon).• 15% mortality within a 2 year period• 58% of Greyhounds died of cancer• 25% of Greyhounds died of osteosarcoma• the prevalence of cancer for Greyhounds was higher than that reported for other breeds• 45% of the cancers diagnosed were osteosarcoma

My maths is notoriously bad, but I don't understand these statistics. If 58% of all greys died of cancer, how does it work out that 45% of the cancers were osteosarcoma AND that 25% of greys died of osteosarcoma. Are they sampling other breeds as well? Because if it's just greyhounds, those figures don't seem to add up.

 

Maybe I'm off here, but if 58% of greys died from cancer, and 45% of those cancers were osteosarcoma, then (0.58) x (0.45) = 0.26, or 26% of greys dying of osteosarcoma- which is close to 26%, and may be 25% due to rounding.

 

Does that answer the question? Or am I walking around it, stepping on things you already know?

[Guest jackjack]

Seeing statistics like this forces us to face the reality of osteo. 58% is such a high number, but I'm sure most of us on this forum have either owned a grey lost to osteo, or know a friend whose dog has fought through the disease. What an eye-opener!

[HopeForHounds]

That's 58% of the cases reported died of cancer? Right?

 

We need to know the sampling methods before we really know what context these numbers are in.

 

Not saying they're off or wrong, but if this was a cancer survey and the people polled were ones affected by cancer, then the numbers will be skewed high. If it was a survey taken across all greyhound owners, then the numbers might be more accurate. I can't tell from just this though.

 

 

I'll ask him.

 

I would be very interested in the number of cases every year or cases per thousand greys per year.

 

 

I'll ask him for you.

[Guest VelvetEars]

Are you all aware of Dr C's wonderful site? I found it today while researching stuff on Jane's problems. His research and current and past studies are published, along w/ great info for your vet:

 

http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/1872.htm

[Guest manymanyhounds]

Been there...many times...and done that..

 

It just plain sucks.......thanks Dr Couto and HFH.

 

I hope I never have to see it again.....

[Cheryl2]

That's 58% of the cases reported died of cancer? Right?

 

We need to know the sampling methods before we really know what context these numbers are in.

 

Not saying they're off or wrong, but if this was a cancer survey and the people polled were ones affected by cancer, then the numbers will be skewed high. If it was a survey taken across all greyhound owners, then the numbers might be more accurate. I can't tell from just this though.

 

I agree. Statistics can show pretty much anything you want. Without sample size, method of information collection etc., it's just anecdotal, an informal collection of data from greyhound owners on the internet who've had greys with cancer.

[Devotion]

Osteo, this is such a devasting disease. it robs us all.

[HopeForHounds]

Dr Couto is writing an article for GH magazine in which he will explain things in laymans terms. What he sent me is from the article that is being published in the Journal of Vet Internal Medicine.

 

Don't know if this helps but here is his answer to BauersMom and David_42's queery.

 

Regarding the data, as soon as the paper comes out, I can share all the info, but yes, 58% of the dogs that dies during the study period (2 years) died of cancer, and almost 7% of the dogs developed OSA in a 2-year period (ie; 3.5%/year). Although it is difficult to extrapolate, if there are 150,000 retired racers in the US and Canada, roughly 5,000 hounds will develop OSA every year. Now keep in mind that the study design was not aimed at answering that specific question (we are currently designing a study to look at incidence/prevalence).

[Greylover97]

Although it is difficult to extrapolate, if there are 150,000 retired racers in the US and Canada, roughly 5,000 hounds will develop OSA every year.

We need to beat osteo!

[romansperson]

I'd really love to see a study that compares groups of greyhounds who had racing careers against groups of greyhounds from the same genetic background that didn't - there is a suspicion that osteosarcoma risk goes up due to repeated small injury to the long bones, which is obviously something that is a lot more likely to happen to a greyhound who goes through training and then races than one that doesn't.

 

I wonder if there is any way to make that happen? I know there are 'oops' litters of greyhound puppies from time to time who aren't trained to race. It would be interesting to see if those puppies are less likely to get osteo over their lifetimes. Though of course if it turned out that training and/or racing does increase risk, I don't know what we'd do with that information unless it could lead to some way of changing racing training or the design of racetracks so that the risk goes down. That doesn't seem likely though.

 

 

[Burpdog]

I know for the spreadsheet I sent him, tatoos were included and I believe he is doing some kind of research that does correlate to racing, as he also wanted the number of races. Unfortunately, GH Data does not list all the races, so unless the owner knows, it's difficult to come up with the actual number.

 

I told him I was ready to do the second spreadsheet I need forms filled out!

[MP_the4pack]

I know for the spreadsheet I sent him, tatoos were included and I believe he is doing some kind of research that does correlate to racing, as he also wanted the number of races. Unfortunately, GH Data does not list all the races, so unless the owner knows, it's difficult to come up with the actual number.

 

I told him I was ready to do the second spreadsheet I need forms filled out!

 

 

Opal never made it to training.......so, I'd be more than happy to add her to any study if needed. All her littermates are racing, however they aren't on Rosnet for comparing the number of races.

 

 

[Guest SillyDog]

If there's any interest, I have a guy from an oops litter.

[Guest MZH]

AKC greyhounds rarely get osteo. I know of exactly one who had it. Racing may have something to do with; I have no idea, really.

 

There are also NGA Greyhounds with osteo who live far longer than the standard 6-9 month figure that veterinarians seem to like to quote.

 

If you'd like to read some good news about greyhounds with osteo, you might want to go back to the Fall 04 issue of CG Magazine. I wrote an article quoting seven Greyhound owners whose dogs lived from 27 to 51 months post diagnosis. It outlines their treatments too. The article is titled "Dogs of Hope: Long-term Osteosarcoma Survivors."

 

BTW, some of those long-term survivors died of old age, not osteo.

 

Marcia in CT soon to be in SC

 

[Burpdog]

The average of 14 months has not changed. Some live 4 months, some 2+ years.

 

AKC greys do not get osteo as much as NGA greys, but they do bloat much more often.