THERAPEUTIC AND SURGICAL APPROACHES IN THE TREATMENT OF MAMMARY ADENOCARCINOMA IN DOGS

Adenocarcinoma and mammary carcinoma in female dogs are the most common malignant neoplasms in small animal practice and may progress with local tissue invasion, a high recurrence rate, and metastatic complications to regional lymph nodes and the lungs. This condition poses a clinical challenge due to its biological aggressiveness, the risk of progression to advanced stages, and the need for integration between surgical approaches and adjuvant systemic therapies. The objective of this study was to analyze the scientific evidence regarding therapeutic strategies and the surgical and clinical management of mammary adenocarcinoma in dogs through a literature review of the PubMed database, using the search terms Mammary Neoplasms, Dogs and Therapeutics. Studies published in the last five years, in Portuguese and English, addressing clinical, histopathological, molecular, and therapeutic aspects were selected. Of particular note is the importance of clinical staging using the TNM system and surgical planning involving wide excision (1–2 cm margins, removal of the muscular fascia, and identification of the sentinel lymph node). In adjuvant management, emphasis is placed on the individualized use of conventional and metronomic chemotherapy combined with COX-2 inhibitors, the evaluation of targeted therapies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and advances in immunotherapy, such as autologous dendritic cell vaccines. It is concluded that the effective management of canine mammary adenocarcinoma requires a multimodal and individualized approach, as well as continuous monitoring to control tumor progression and optimize patient survival and quality of life.