Oncology

Define the hallmarks of cancer  

Explain how genetic and epigenetic changes contribute to a cancer 

Explain how environmental effects can contribute to a cancer 

Describe specific examples of cancers in veterinary patients caused by chronic inflammation and viral infection 

Compare and contrast the differences between the vasculature, immune surveillance and cellular energetics between tumour tissue and benign tissue 

List the steps in the metastatic process   

Describe the pathophysiology behind common paraneoplastic diseases 

Describe common histopathological parameters involved in the grading of malignancies and give examples of grading systems for common cancers 

Compare and contrast staging methods for round cell tumours, carcinomas and sarcomas 

Give examples of different types of pain associated with cancer and give examples of how different types of pain can be managed pharmacologically 

Define cancer cachexia and outline treatments to ameliorate it 

Outline the limitations and complications possible with surgical or needle-core biopsy of solid tumours 

Describe, compare and contrast different methods for assessing completeness of excision 

Explain the difference between palliative and definitive radiation therapy, and give examples of cancers appropriate for each 

Explain the 4 Rs of radiation therapy  

Explain the difference between acute and delayed adverse effects of radiation therapy 

Describe the principles and limitations of maximum tolerated dose chemotherapy 

Describe the principles and limitations of metronomic chemotherapy 

Describe the principles and limitations of small molecule inhibition 

Give examples of the use of immunotherapy in veterinary oncology and the challenges it faces 

Discuss pertinent considerations in counselling of a client whose pet is being considered for chemotherapy treatment 

Explain a pragmatic approach to the investigation and treatment of cutaneous and subcutaneous masses in dogs 

Describe the prognostic factors for soft tissue sarcomas 

Describe the surgical approach to canine soft tissue sarcomas  

List the options for treatment of soft tissue sarcomas where excision with appropriate margins is not possible 

List the options for treatment of soft tissue sarcomas where surgical excision is incomplete 

Describe appropriate chemotherapy treatments for metastatic or high-grade soft tissue sarcomas 

Describe the causal factors and clinical presentation of feline injection site sarcomas 

Explain how and when to investigate a cutaneous / subcutaneous mass on a cat 

Describe appropriate treatment of a feline injection site sarcoma 

Describe appropriate means of minimizing the risk of feline injection site sarcomas  

Describe the radiographic features of aggressive bone lesions in dogs and cats 

Describe safe and pragmatic techniques of investigating aggressive bone lesions in dogs and cats 

Describe the prognostic factors, staging and treatment of canine osteosarcoma 

Compare and contrast the difference in behaviour and treatment between canine osteosarcoma, histiocytic sarcoma and other sarcomas of bone. 

Compare and contrast the radiographic features, behaviour, treatment and prognosis between canine and feline osteosarcoma 

Describe the key differential diagnoses and prognostic factors for canine and feline sinonasal tumours. 

List appropriate steps in the investigation and treatment of sinonasal tumours 

Describe prognostic factors and differential diagnoses for pulmonary tumours 

Describe appropriate management of canine and feline pulmonary tumours 

Outline the behaviour, prognosis and treatment of thymomas in cats and dogs 

Explain methods of predicting the diagnosis of a splenic mass based on signalment and clinical presentation, and the accuracy of these techniques 

Describe pragmatic approach to spontaneous haemoabdomen in dogs   

Outline the differential diagnoses and prognosis for spontaneous haemoabdomen in cats 

Explain the pathology of haemangiosarcoma, in relation to its behaviour and paraneoplastic disease 

Describe prognostic factors for canine haemangiosarcoma 

Describe appropriate treatments for canine haemangiosarcoma, with and without gross disease 

Describe the biology, pathophysiology, epidemiology and prognostic factors for canine  

Describe appropriate treatments for different presentation of histiocytic sarcoma 

Outline the management of less-common splenic malignancies 

Describe the pathophysiology of common tumour-related endocrinopathies of the adrenal, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid glands and beta cells of the pancreas 

Choose appropriate diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of the above endocrinopathies  

Describe appropriate management of the above endocrinopathies  

Outline definitive treatment for the above tumour-related endocrinopathies  

Describe the clinical presentation, pathologies, and imaging findings in different neurological tumours 

List the challenges in the diagnosis of neurological tumours 

Describe the treatment options for neurological tumours and the factors which influence response to treatment 

Outline important benign and malignant ocular tumours 

Describe treatment options and prognosis for ocular tumours 

Describe important risk factors for the developing of a canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) 

Describe means of diagnosis of a canine TCC (and the associated limitations) 

Describe the behaviour and prognosis for canine TCCs 

Describe appropriate treatments for canine TCCs 

Explain the differences between canine and feline TCCs 

Explain important causal factors in the development of a canine prostate tumour   

Outline the biology, treatment and prognosis of the transmissible venereal tumour 

Describe the prognostic factors for canine mammary tumours and outline the strongest prognostic factors 

Describe the prognosis for feline mammary tumours and outline the strongest prognostic factors 

Explain the evidence base for the medical treatment of canine and feline mammary tumours   

Outline the important differential diagnoses for oral tumours in dogs and in cats 

Describe an appropriate and pragmatic investigation for an oral mass 

Describe treatment options and treatment options for common oral tumours in dogs and cats 

Outline the important differential diagnoses for gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary tumours in dogs and in cats 

Describe an appropriate and pragmatic investigation for a gastrointestinal or hepatobiliary tumour 

Describe treatment options and treatment options for common gastrointestinal or hepatobiliary tumours in dogs and cats 

Describe the epidemiology, clinical presentation and investigation of anal gland and perianal tumours in dogs 

List important prognostic factors for anal gland tumours in dogs 

Describe treatment options for both advanced and early anal gland tumours in dogs 

Compare and contrast the presentation of lymphoma in cats and dogs 

Describe the means of diagnosis of lymphoma 

Compare and contrast the utility of diagnostic tests to confirm or subtype lymphoma between dogs and cats 

Explain the value of the information gained from staging a case of lymphoma 

Describe important prognostic factors for canine and feline lymphoma 

Describe appropriate treatments and prognoses for different types of canine lymphoma 

Describe appropriate treatment for different presentations of feline lymphoma 

Discuss the evidence base for the treatment of canine indolent lymphomas 

Describe prognostic factors and treatment for chronic and acute lymphoid leukaemias in dogs and cats 

Describe the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment for multiple myeloma in dogs and cats 

List important prognostic factors for canine mast cell tumours, from history, physical examination and histopathology 

Discuss the relative independence of one prognostic factor versus another, and outline the strongest indicators of prognosis 

Explain how to use immunohistochemical labelling appropriately 

Describe practical methods of staging mast cell tumours depending on their location on the body 

Describe appropriate use of surgical treatment for a mast cell tumour 

Describe options for treatment of an incomplete surgical excision 

Explain when to use chemotherapy for mast cell tumours 

Explain when to use tyrosine kinase inhibitors for mast cell tumours 

Describe appropriate circumstances for the use of intralesional tigilanol tiglate. 

Explain prognostic factors and outline treatment for feline cutaneous, intestinal and visceral mast cell tumours 

Explain how to identify whether a cytology sample is of adequate diagnostic quality 

Describe cellular features of malignancy in the context of the cells in question 

Be able to identify the cytological appearance of common benign and malignant skin tumours 

Be able to identify mast cell tumours cytologically and comment on their degree of cellular differentiation 

Explain the criteria for classifying a lymph node cytology smear as “lymphoma” versus “reactive hyperplasia”  

Describe the use of different fine needle aspiration techniques to obtain diagnostic samples from different tumours 

Explain the criteria used for the cytological diagnosis of a sarcoma and comment on features which may differentiate the type of sarcoma 

Explain the cytological features of common carcinomas 

Explain how flow cytometry works and why it is of value in the diagnosis of lymphoid malignancies 

Describe examples of different PCR-based tests available for diagnosis of canine cancers and comment on the limitations of these tests 

Describe how to take high quality radiographs of the thorax, limbs and oral cavity in the diagnosis and staging of cancer 

Explain the benefits given by computed tomography over conventional radiography in the diagnosis and staging of cancer 

Describe what sentinel lymph node mapping is, and why it is beneficial 

Compare and contrast the use abdominal ultrasonography to abdominal computed tomography in the staging of cancer 

Compare and contrast the needs of staging solid tumours from round cell tumours   

Compare and contrast different techniques for identifying cancer infiltration in liver and spleen 

Give examples of risks or complications from the use of image-guided fine needle aspiration or biopsy 

Describe optimal combinations of imaging modalities for the staging of different cancers 

Describe the basics of interpreting MR images in the diagnosis of CNS neoplasia  

Outline the benefit of techniques for example PET-CT over conventional contrast CT scanning