Has Anyone Heard Of Retroperitoneal Hemangiosarcoma?

[Guest MZH]

Hi all,

 

Our formerly-happy fawn boy, Cullen, has a big problem; it's a hard, unmovable bump under the skin on his left flack near his hip. He also had pancreatitis in January PLUS an increase in seizure activity. He's lost over ten pounds. We've had an awful month of January and February has gotten off to a bad start with two horrendous seizures so far today.

 

The vet specialists did ultrasounds, a CT scan, and a bunch of biopsies. They saw no cancer yet the staff still thinks he has this cancer. Yikes! They're taking the mass off next Wednesday and we're praying it's not what they think it is. Unfortunately, excising the whole thing is the only way to tell what it is. It's about 3" across and likely that deep. It's pressing on his kidney; it really has to go.

 

If anyone knows anything at all about this, please share what you know. I sure can't find much info about this on the Internet. Must be a rare one.

 

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers, especially when he has his surgery on Wednesday. FWIW, when he's healthy, he's happy and loves life and everyone around him; actually, he's a joy to be with even when he's sick!

 

Appreciatively,

 

Marcia, Cullen and Rita, his heroine hound in SC

 

[romansperson]

If you want any medical articles about it, I can probably get them - but it would probably be a good idea to wait until the surgery biopsy comes back to know for sure what it really is. Yeah, I know, it's hard, but I would try not to worry unnecessarily.

 

Pumpkin developed a lump on her leg that the vet thought might be a mast cell tumor. It wasn't and she's absolutely fine.

 

The term "retroperitoneal" just means it is outside or behind the peritoneum, which lines the abdominal cavity. So this growth isn't in the abdomen where a lot of vital organs are, which could very much be a good thing if it's a non-aggressive growth.

[Batmom]

No knowledge, just prayers for a good outcome for your pupper.

[Guest KennelMom]

No idea, just sending prayers

[macoduck]

Our first mutt girlie Rosie had a huge mass come up quickly in the same area you describe on Cullen. It was removed. Turned out to be a lipoma. She'd had smaller lipomas over the years although much smaller. Vet said while this huge one was benign, it wasn't just round but growing a tail, becoming invasive, and pushing hard on her internal organs. Once removed it did return years later but never got a large as the first time.

Hope your Cullen gets some good news soon.

[LBass]

Marcia, no info but prayers for Cullen.

[Guest Snowy8]

Dear had hermangiosarcoma, its a blood vessel cancer. It attaches to the liver, lungs, heart or spleen. There is plenty of information on the internet. It can be found as a lesion on the skin, and it can be found as a tumor. Dear's tumor weighed 4 lbs. It was attached to his liver only, and during surgery there were no other signs of cancer. The lab work came back on that Friday evening (his surgery was on a Tuesday) that it was cancer. Hermangiosarcoma is a malignant cancer that moves very fast. If you'd like to PM me, it will be okay.

Best wishes.

Edited February 2, 2008 by Snowy8

[VinnieAndRexsMom]

Rex had the same thing, but we found out too late and did not find/look for the original tumor. The pathology came back after he was gone. It was not on his heart, that we know for sure. We found it in his lungs, and then we could not save him.

 

It's good you are finding the main tumor. Best wishes for a complete recovery

[Guest Snowy8]

If you will just put the word hermangiosarcoma in google or websearch, there is plenty of information out there. I also put Retroperitoneal Hemangiosarcoma in websearch & came up with a lot of information.

One of the symptoms of hermangiosarcoma is rapid weight loss, depression, lack of appetite. Dear lost his appetite in late November & I took him to the vet the first part of December & he was skin & bones & nothing could make him eat until the tumor was removed. Batmom sent me some Tripe & he ate that and he loved hot dogs...

I will say this is a very agressive cancer. Dear had to be put to sleep 3 weeks after his surgery.

[Guest MZH]

Thanks so much for the responses; I've learned a bunch of things already and also feel a little better and the prayers and good wishes are very comforting.

 

Hilda, I Googled both hemangiosarcoma and retroperitoneal hemangiosarcoma. I did get a bunch of hits on hemangiosarcoma but not much on the retro type. You must be a better searcher than I am. I'll PM you; maybe you could point me to the sites you found. So sorry about the loss of your Dear and Tonya, the same to you on the loss of your Rex. Nancy, I'll probably be asking you for some articles once we know what the "The Thing" actually is. May it be a strange lipoma like Rosie's was.

 

[Guest Carla]

Hi Marcia.

 

Don't have any words of advice -- just want to say I'm sending you and Cullen tons of healing energy, white light and prayers.

 

Keeping fingers, toes, and paws crossed here.

 

Carla

[VinnieAndRexsMom]

Thanks so much for the responses; I've learned a bunch of things already and also feel a little better and the prayers and good wishes are very comforting.

 

Hilda, I Googled both hemangiosarcoma and retroperitoneal hemangiosarcoma. I did get a bunch of hits on hemangiosarcoma but not much on the retro type. You must be a better searcher than I am. I'll PM you; maybe you could point me to the sites you found. So sorry about the loss of your Dear and Tonya, the same to you on the loss of your Rex. Nancy, I'll probably be asking you for some articles once we know what the "The Thing" actually is. May it be a strange lipoma like Rosie's was.

Thanks

I probably wouldn't google too much right now, though you really want to know. Both my daughter and our grey Red came down with lumps a few months ago. I googled both suspected types for each of them and spent months scared to death. Red's did not end up being mast cell, though it looked like it, and DD's turned out to be benign and probably developmental. For DD, we won't know unless they do a biopsy, and if it is a specific one of the three, it will aggravate the situation.

 

So, hard as it sounds, just sit tight until you have a path report. As my vet said, the info out there is accurate if you are careful where you read, but it does not give scope and sequence for the illness. And I'm telling you to wait because I know what you will do to yourself and how you will feel if you goggle. I am a tough one, but I had a hard time knowing all that stuff until the path came back for Red and until the specialist gave his final report for my daughter.

[Greytlady94]

Sending prayers for Cullen.

[Guest Snowy8]

I agree with Tonya, when my vet called & said hermangio sarcoma, he told me its a malignant cancer. I went home (I was out having dinner with some friends) and searched it...of course it came right to the point.

Although most of it was right on the money, sometimes...there is a chance that it won't come back.

I searched under the wording retroperitoneal hemangiosarcoma, and came up with a site for you also. I'll PM that to you.

[Guest Winterwish]

Sending prayers for Cullen.

[Guest MZH]

Hi,

 

Cullen update. He's having the lump removed tomorrow (Wednesday 11:30 on). Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. The vets still think it's hemangio but freely admit they just don't know what the thing is.

 

If I were more adept at adding photos I would. He's one of the world's most charming dogs. He charmed everyone in the waiting room today and did the same to his surgeon. (Sucking up to your surgeon always helps. )

 

Marcia and Cullen in SC

[Guest Winterwish]

Definitely keeping Cullen in my thoughts and prayers for a successful surgery tomorrow.

 

If you'd like,I'd be glad to post a picture of your sweet boy. Your inbox is full right now,otherwise,I could pm you my e-mail address,and you could send me a photo to post.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Sending prayers for a successful surgery and a good outcome for Cullen!

[LBass]

Thinking of you and Cullen this morning and keeping him in my prayers. He is such a sweetie.

[gazehund]

Marcia thanks for the heads up. Please keep us posted as you can.

 

Cullen is my Kia's full brother, exactly 14 months younger. He is a beautiful, wonderful, gorgeous soul. We were so fortunate to meet him (and his family) before they moved to SC.

[Guest Snowy8]

Surgeries never start on time, but I'm hoping this one did. I'm on pins & needles waiting. Marcia sent me an email last night, so if I get an update...I'll let ya'll know. I know the last thing I thought of when Dear had his surgery was racing home & updating everyone...sorry. But knowing that I had all these friends waiting...it was the 2nd thing I did when I got home...had to do turn out first.

I'm praying so hard its not hermangio sarcoma.

[Guest Snowy8]

No word yet...

[Guest MZH]

Cullen's out of surgery....

 

....and the surgeon took out a tumor the size of his fist! The good news is that it was attached to muscle and not to any organs or even the intestines. The surgery happened right on time and took exactly one hour. Imagine our surprise when the surgeon appeared in the waiting room; we expected there to be a problem that he needed to tell us about. Instead it was that the surgery was done!

 

The tumor had clean margins and is being sent to pathology; Dr Jevens didn't want to venture a guess as to what it is. Once the pain subsides, I'm sure Cullen Man will feel so much better. Imagine the pressure he must have felt and yet he just kept eating, peeing, pooping, and going for walks just like he always did. Talk about stoic greyhounds!

 

Thanks to all for the good wishes and White Light. It clearly did a lot of good. Let's hope he has as good a recovery as the surgery was. He'll continue needing prayers so please don't stop.

 

Marcia

[Guest Winterwish]

here you go Marcia, I'm so glad to hear Cullen came thru' the surgery,and send good thoughts your way for his full recovery!

 

 

 

 

So adorable!

[LBass]

Hurray for Cullen! What a relief that he is safely through the surgery and is now without that unexpectedly big mass. Did they keep him overnight or is he already safe at home?