STAGING
STEP 1
Step 1 — Staging
Staging is the process veterinarians go through to determine the extent and severity of the cancer and whether or not it has spread to other organs in the body. This process is vital. Staging cancer allows veterinarians to know what type of cancer is present, how aggressive the cancer is, how the overall health of the pet is in relation to the cancer and, finally, what treatments might have the best rate of success.
The most common elements of staging are:
• Location and type of the primary tumor
• Determination of the tumor size and number of tumors
• Physical exam to look for other areas that may be affected, particularly the lymph nodes, as well as a determination of the pet’s overall health
• Blood test of internal organs to assess liver, pancreas and kidney functioning, as well as white and red blood cell counts
TIME IS TICKING