Training Course 12: Veterinary Oncology

In the document of the Day one competences (DOCs), drawn up by the European Coordinating Committee on Veterinary Training, there is a list of knowledge and skills that the new graduate must possess. The electronic logbook lists the practical skills that the student must acquire to satisfy what is reported in the DOCs document. The hospital rotation is aimed at making the student acquire the skills and competences shown in the electronic logbook which from time to time it will be appropriate to apply on patients and case studies assigned.

-General rules in diagnostic cytology
The cytologic sample: how to prepare and read it
Common lesions of skin
Common lesions of lymph node
Abdominal and thoracic fluids
Cytology lesions from various sites

The module consists of 16 practice hours. Absolute priority will be given to the direct management of clinical cases of oncological surgery, reserving from 2 to 4 hours for the discussion of clinical cases and scientific literature.

The program will provide for the management of clinical cases of medical and surgical oncologicy that spontaneously refer to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital as follows:

a) Consultation rooms ((under supervision of clinical/academic staff)
First opinion vs specialized consultation vs postoperative recheck

- Recording of the patient
- Clinical History collection ( discussion)
- Physical examination vs specialized examination ( discussion)
- Proposal of differential diagnosis ( discussion)
- Discussion with clinical staff on the decisional algorithm for diagnostic procedures
- Follow the patient in the diagnostic procedures( X-rays, ultrasonography endoscopy etc..)
- provide a diagnosis, adequate treatment and prognosis
- Write the clinical report and drug prescription ( if needed)
-

b) Surgical theatre (under supervision of clinical/academic staff)

- Recording the patient
- Clinical History collection ( Discussion)
- Clinical examination for surgical treatment and anesthesiology protocol ( Discussion)
- Explanation of surgical treatment and anesthesiology protocol and possible complications ( Discussion)
- Cooperation in the owner consent taking for surgical treatment and anesthesiology protocol
- Discussion of the surgical treatment/technique, postoperative care and potential complications
- Discussion anesthesiologic and analgesic protocol based on surgical treatment plus postoperative analgesic protocol
- Preoperative- procedures for patient:
Preparation of the surgical site involves a series of steps such as clipping of hair, removal of dirt and oils, and removal of microbes.
Draping
- Preoperative procedures- surgical staff
Scrubs, scrubs hands and applications of specific surgical dress

- Preparation of the surgical site
- Assistant at surgical procedures/ performing some surgical procedures
- Planning postoperative care and communication with hospitalization service
- Follow/ recheck the patient in hospitalization service
- Write the surgical report
- Write the form for histopathologic exam ( surgical biopsy)
- Discussion with clinical staff of the surgical case/ cases.
- Write the clinical report and drug prescription ( if needed)

Bone marrow examination (2 h lectures + 2 h practical)
Flow cytometric immunophenotyping (4 h practical)
Canine and feline lymphoma (2 h lectures + 2 h practical)
Acute leukemias in cats and dogs (1 h lectures + 1 h practical)
Cronic leukemias in cats and dogs (1 h lectures + 1 h practical)

In the course will be described and discussed the immunohistochemical methods and the most important diagnostic and prognostic markers used in veterinary oncology (4 - 6 hours). Histologic and immunohistochemically stained slides of the most frequent and important animal tumors will be observed with a multi-head discussion microscope (6 - 8 hours). The students, supervised by the professor, shall perform an immunohistochemical test to characterize neoplastic samples with some of the most frequently used diagnostic markers (4 hours).