Kathy, Mast cell is a type of cancer that often responds well to treatment (surgery/radiation), but I do know some dogs who have died from it, especially the more advanced grades 2 and 3. "Grade" refers to how aggressive the type of cancer cells are, as diagnosed by their appearance under a microscope by a pathologist. "Stage" refers how far it has spread....if the cancer is still only in one location, like in your Gunner, then it is a Stage 1. This is the earliest and most curable. If it is already spread thruout multiple organs, it is a much more ominous Stage 4.
My wonderful Java, the most perfect dog in the universe, had a grade 2 mast cell tumor diagnosed and operated on just before his 5th birthday. You may remember that large tricolored Poodle who won the Open B obedience class at the WI specialty?? :-) That was 2 1/2 years ago and today he is totally fine, just loving his retirement out here on the farm, mostly stays busy getting my bed covered w/ mud! :-) The pathology on the initial aspiration of his mass w/ my regular vet said it was only a grade 1 mast cell tumor. But the final report said grade 2 when it was removed by the surgeon who works w/ the oncologist. My vet recommended the oncologist consult, which I am very glad I did. The oncologist was recommending radiation treatment be planned for after the surgery, even when we thought it was only a grade 1 (that would have taken Java's chances of a cure from 80-85% up to 95%) but then definitely recommended it when we learned it was actually a grade 2 (so then radiation took his chances of cure from 40% to 85%.) It is important that the surgeon gets 3-5 cm of normal apearing tissue on all sides of the actual tumor, "clean margins," b/c of the way mast cell invades. That is a lot of tissue, and not always possible depending on the tumor location. Java's tumor was about 2 1/2 cm in size, smooth and soft and mobile and non tender, looked exactly like a lipoma or fatty tumor....it was on his upper inner front leg, in his "armpit" (do dogs have armpits??) Java tolerated the radiation treatments just fine, they bothered me a lot more than it bothered him I think. He developed a raw apearing sunburn-like area on that part of his leg but no other side effects. And when his hair grew back in there it was and is still light grey. I think I must have read just about everything ever published on mast cell tumors in dogs at the time (knowledge is power!!) and was very pleased w/ both the oncologist and surgeon, as well as my regular vet. Best of luck to you, please let me know if there is anything I can do. Vilma Vilma Briggs (Kistner) Mt. Gilead, OH U-UD Mocha Java Slurp, UDX, HIC, TT Ch. Brighteye Expresso Bean, UD, NDD, TT U-CDX Our Little Buddy, UD, NA, TT and rescue Berners: Charm (Thirdtym's A Charm CGC) and Willow
