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Malignant Oral Tumor

Malignant Oral Tumor

Malignant tumors are a mass of cells that have the potential to metastasize (spread) to distant organs such as the lymph nodes, lungs, and liver.

Dr. Stephen Juriga headshot

Originally published by Stephen Juriga, DVM · part of the AOSN network.

Signs you might notice

What you need to know

These tumors tend to invade adjacent tissues (bone) causing swelling and pain.

What you need to know

An early diagnosis (biopsy) allows for the best treatment options.

What you need to know

Surgical resection is the preferred treatment.

What's really going on

The tumor size, tumor type, review of the published research and the results of staging will direct the treatment strategy. For example, this squamous cell carcinoma of the gingiva offers a better prognosis than one of the tongue or tonsillar region or a fibrosarcoma requires larger surgical margins than other tumors. The pet owner is counseled on type of surgery, potential complications, post procedure appearance and return to function after treatment.

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How it may look

Fibrosarcoma of the right maxilla
Fibrosarcoma of the right maxilla
Squamous cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma

Possible therapy / treatment

Surgical resection of the tumor
Surgical resection of the tumor
Appearance 2 weeks post- surgery. Eating, drinking and happy!
Appearance 2 weeks post- surgery. Eating, drinking and happy!

Get help for your pet

Request a visit with our team and we'll take it from here.