Thermographic analysis of tumoural and peripheral temperature in dogs with soft tissue sarcoma

• Grant number: 15/23783-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Julia Maria Matera
• Grantee: Leila Cristina Alves dos Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are common tumours in companion animals and represent a therapeutic and diagnostic challenge for veterinary practice. STS are defined as malignant tumours of non epithelial extraskeletal tissue and include tumours of fat, muscle and connective tissue. They represent 15% of all the skin and subcutaneous tumours in dogs. As the soft tissues are estimated in constitute 40% of body weight, it is not surprising that they give rise to tumours regularly and in any anatomic site of the body. STS are locally aggressive and generally have low risk of developing metastasis. The first choice treatment for canine cutaneous and subcutaneous STS is surgical excision and in general, management of recurrent STS is more difficult than the primary tumor, what emphasizes the need of agressive initial approach. Since the beginning of neoplastic cells multiplication is possible to observe temperature changes which can be identified through infrared image and currently, the most efficient mean of study of this temperature distribution is cutaneous infrared thermometry. Infrared thermography is a non invasive, non-contact method which register spacial variations in skin temperature by measuring infrared radiation emitted by body surface, purposing to determine pathological processes. In the case of cancer, the use of thermography is found on detection of heat generated either by metabolic activity of tumor cells proliferation or by increase of blood supply and angiogenesis, which support the tumor growth. This process results in cutaneous temperature rise above the developing tumor. Therefore, detection of these infrared spots and gradients can help to identify and diagnose malignancy. This study has the objective of evaluate and classify the temperature on tumor area of soft tissue sarcomas in selected dogs, as well as differentiate temperatures between tumours with the most varied degrees of evolution from different patients. It is thus intend to correlate these data with tumor evolution and survival of these animals, using thermographic analysis as an adjuvant on prognostic determination.