Surgical Management of Interscapular Feline Injection-Site Sarcomas(FISS): A Case Series of 43 Cats

Evaluate surgical treatment efficacy for feline injection-site sarcomas (FISS) in theinterscapular region by assessing complications, local recurrence, and long-termclinical and questionnaire findings. Forty-three cats with interscapular swelling andconfirmed FISS were included. Surgery indication followed the 3-2-1 rule (mass ≥3months, size ≥2 cm, growth within 1 month). Wide excision was performed undergeneral anesthesia with ~5 cm lateral margins and ≥2 fascial planes depth. Flapreconstruction was done if primary closure was impossible. Postoperative follow-up assessed complications, disease-free interval (DFI), overall survival (OS), andpain-related behavior via caregiver questionnaires at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.Thoracic radiographs evaluated metastasis. Kaplan–Meier and log-rank testsanalyzed data. The most frequent complication was incision dehiscence in 28/43cats (65,1%); secondary infection in 3/43 (7,0%). Complications did not significantlyaffect OS or DFI (p>0.05). Local recurrence occurred in 18/43 cats (41,9%). MedianOS exceeded 10 months in cats undergoing revision surgery, versus ~6 months inthose refusing further surgery (p = 0.03). Suspicious thoracic lesions appeared in2 cats; metastasis was not confirmed. Caregiver questionnaires showed significantimprovement at 3 months (p < 0.01), with scores rising between 6 and 12 monthsin cats with recurrence (p < 0.001). FISS is surgically challenging due to high localinvasiveness and recurrence despite low metastatic potential. Wide margins and flapreconstruction reduce tension and complications, improving outcomes. Vaccinesand injections in extremities or tail, with regular monitoring, may aid early diagnosisand treatment success.