Apocrine Sweat Gland Adenocarcinoma?

[makenna]

Has anyone dealt with this? My cocker had a lump near his nipple, I was told to watch it but it started to bleed so had it removed and tested. It came back as a sweat gland Adenocarcinoma. They don’t think it has spread and they got good margins, so my instructions are basically to just watch and have him checked if any new ones pop up.

Obviously, I’m still in panic mode. My guy is 10. I know there is no real way to tell what the prognosis is, it could come back soon or not for a long time. I’ve read a lot about anal gland carcinomas, which isn’t what he had, but am now wondering if it is possible for him to be at greater risk for that since had had one on his abdomen, and that would be something that is harder for me to monitor (and I think has a worse prognosis as well).

I plan to ask my vet some questions when he gets his staples out, but I’m just panicky at the moment and not thinking clearly. I’m not sure how much my vet knows, he’s obviously not an oncologist though I do trust him, but maybe an oncologist would be overkill.

Has anyone had experience with this that could give some insight?

[makenna]

No replies yet, but I figured I would update. I went back to the vet to get his staples out today and asked my vet a ton of questions (I also have read all the research there is on this, which isn't much). I felt him over and made a list of his lumps and bumps and had the vet check them. I also had them express his anal glands because I wanted to be sure that there wasn't anything back there. They did find a lump in his rectum but not the anal glands, which is good; we are going to go back in a month to see if it grows at all and if it does they will remove it.

Otherwise, I asked him specifically what to keep an eye out for and he made me feel a bit better. Anxiety is still high, especially with the other lump (honestly, if they'd asked me today I probably would have just removed it so I could proceed to panic or feel more relieved) but hopefully all will turn out well.

There isn't much data on this kind of thing at all, but based on what there is it seems like he really has the best case scenario. It tends to happen to older dogs apparently, and most of the dogs that were reviewed in one of the main studies were either still alive or had passed from other old-age things. As long as I keep on top of things he should be okay (cross fingers, knock on wood, and all of that - because I'm sure it's still something I will fret over).

[annclare]

Makenna - You've certainly acquired a lot of knowledge, pretty much as I did when my lovely girl Nina was diagnosed with Cushing's disease. It's such a worrying time and the panic does us no good at all! I'm sure you have your man for many years yet. Take care and stay vigilant! xx

[bizzylizzy]

Sorry not to have any advice but I do understand how you feel. Although we‘re being constantly warned about consulting Dr.Google,  I do think it pays to do some research, you learn what signs to look for, and it  certainly helps when discussing with the vet.
All the best.
Xx

[makenna]

Thank you both. The not knowing for sure, and not having much research on it, definitely put me on edge. Talking to my vet helped though, and hopefully I’ll feel better yet when they reexamine the other bump. Knowing me, if it hasn’t grown I’ll probably still ask them if I can come back in a few months later and have it checked yet again, ha.

I know at some point difficult decisions will have to be made, but hopefully not for a few years at least. For now I’ll just stay as vigilant as possible and take things as they come (easier said than done, but that’s the goal).

[makenna]

I wanted to update again.

My original vet left town, before he was able to recheck his other lump which was probably a good thing. We switched vets entirely - I found a fear free vet who also does at home euthanasia, which while a bit morbid would be something I?d prefer to do when the time came. She felt it and said it was in his anal gland. We monitored for a month and she then referred us to the vet school - it hadn?t grown at all but she couldn?t confidently say what it was.

He is there today getting his anal gland removed. They did tests yesterday and confirmed to to be cancer, but it is still very small and hasn?t spread from what they can see. So they are removing it altogether.

I?m trying not to google too much for my own anxiety - the vets seem pretty optimistic that we caught it and the right time and all should be well. I?ve read other things where it?s been caught early and cancer popped up somewhere else anyway. Since it?s reared its head twice in the span of a few months, I suppose that doesn?t bode well but I?m not a vet. I?ll just do what I can for him.

He has been such a brave boy and they were gushing over how cute he is. He?s a good pup.

[Pearly]

I?m really sorry to read about your boy.  Catching lumps early is the best you can do I think. 

My six year old wcs had enlarged lymph nodes throughout her body and a lump in her neck in February.  I went into a complete panic so know what you are going through.  It appears in Kukri?s case it was an infection in her saliva gland, 3 weeks antibiotics has helped but her neck lymph nodes are still larger than they should be and white blood cell count very low.

Kukri has a bucket list - we are off to Scotland next week. 

Hope your boy makes a good recovery x

[makenna]

Thank you. The recovery has had ups and downs but he seems to be doing better I think.

I agree, it?s a rotten thing but we caught it as early as possible. I guess my anxiety was working in my favor there. I?m just waiting to get the results of all the tests back, next week maybe. He?s had enlarged lymph nodes that were tested before, and the surgeon didn?t think they were concerning, it was just a precaution.

[MIN]

our gemma (she was 11) had a mammary cancer removed. early removal ( circumstances had us remove lump before we knew what it was), really good clearance but biopsy showed it was the worst aggressive kind. scans and x-rays showed up no internal spread.  exactly 12 months later she was rushed to the emergency vet where x-ray showed she was riddled with cancer. all major organs and probably her brain aswell.  we had no idea that she was so poorly , she never gave us a clue. Saddest day of our life. my point is once a cancer diagnosis, let them live a full life because they dont tell  or show you they are ill. Believe me the cancer does go to the back of your mind, rushing Gemma to the vet, cancer reoccurrence did not enter my mind
much love x     

[makenna]

Thank you, and I?m sorry for the loss of your Gemma. It?s such a hard thing, they are all so special.

I will try to take things one day at a time. He turns 11 on Monday and I?ve got some goodies planned for that; he also has to go back into the vet that day so I have to make up for that. I should get the pathology results this week sometime, hopefully they are positive but we will deal with what comes. I?ve already determined that we won?t do any chemo or radiation (he hates the vet, I think the stress would be awful) so I?ll need to be sure to stick to that if it is recommended. I want to do anything to keep him around but quality of life is more important.

[makenna]

I got an update with the pathology. They said it was "best case" scenario for this kind of thing - it was still small, they confirmed it hasn't spread, and they removed all of it with the gland. She said we could follow up with oncology as I know sometimes they do precautionary chemo with this kind of thing, but I always said I wouldn't put him through radiation or chemo so I won't do that. She recommended rectal exams every 3-4 months and ultrasounds every 6 or so months, but I'm going to talk to my regular vet about that. I know it could (and likely will) come back at some point, but it doesn't seem worthwhile to catch it via ultrasound if chemo or radiation is the only treatment option anyway, since I won't do that. So we may just hope for the best and as much time as we can.