Clinical Staging and Histopathological Grading of Inguinal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Dogs: A Case Series Study

Abstract

Introduction: Canine cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a locally invasive tumor with a variable prognosis. Materials and Methods: This study evaluated clinical stage and histopathological grade as prognostic factors. Eleven dogs with inguinal SCC underwent surgery. All dogs presented varying degrees of atopic skin owing to prolonged outdoor ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Tumors are located primarily in the ventro inguinal area, affecting the prepuce and scrotum in males. Clinical staging (TNM system) was performed through abdominal ultrasound and palpation of regional lymph nodes, and histopathologically, Broder grading was applied. Discussion: The survival time (ST) and disease-free interval (DFI) were analyzed, and the median ST was 738 days for Grade 1 tumors compared with 135 days for Grade 4 tumors. Staging correlated with metastatic risk (1/11 patients). Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of histological grade as a prognostic factor for canine cutaneous SCC and surgery as a treatment of choice and emphasizes the need for further studies on disease progression and treatment outcomes in veterinary medicine.