82717 - ONCOLOGIA VETERINARIA

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide students with the fundamentals for the proper management of an animal with cancer. In particular, information will be provided for the correct diagnostic framework, for the formulation of a prognosis and the knowledge of the appropriate therapeutic resources. At the end of the course, the student will have to know the biological characteristics of the main spontaneous tumors of domestic animals, as well as notions about diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, histologic diagnostic criteria, anatomical classification, pathological consequences, pathological variables useful for diagnosis and prognosis, molecular and applied bases of antineoplastic therapy.

Course contents

The diagnostic approach in veterinary oncology. From the clinical suspicion to the morphological diagnosis. Cytological and histological examination. Sample collection and preparation. Diagnostic criteria. Histologic and cytological grading of tumors. Histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. TNM staging. Diagnostic imaging in oncology. Local and systemic clinical and pathophysiological consequences of neoplasms. Local invasiveness and metastasis. Paraneoplastic syndromes. The formulation of a prognosis. Therapeutic options in veterinary oncology: surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, support therapies. Anatomical classification, incidence, diagnostics, biological behavior, prognostic indications and therapeutic opportunities of the major spontaneous neoplasms in domestic animals.

Readings/Bibliography

MARCONATO, AMADORI, Oncologia Medica Veterinaria e Comparata, Poletto editore, 2012

WITHROW SJ, MacEWEN EG Small Animal Clinical Oncology, W.B. Saunders, 5° ed, 2012

MEUTEN DJ Tumors in Domestic Animals, 5th Edition 2016, Wiley-Blackwell

Teaching methods

The course setting is aimed at promoting student's active learning by analyzing and elaborating clinical cases such as practical introduction to the most common oncological diseases, according to the self-directed learning model (working in groups and personal processing).

The course is divided into three phases:

A) Introductory phase, where teachers provide lectures on basic oncology concepts as for their expertise

B) Compilation phase, in which students work in small groups with clinical-pathological and bibliographic materials provided by teachers to prepare the clinical cases on specific oncological topics

C) Production phase, in which students present and discuss the clinical cases to colleagues and teachers

Assessment methods

The evaluation of students attending the course will take into account two moments:

- Presentation of the oncological clinical case (clarity and efficacy of exposition, summary and completeness of the topic discussed, discussion)

- The results of a written test on the topics discussed in the introductory section and on the presented cancer cases

Teaching tools

Clinical and pathological materials (clinical records, photographs, videos, cytological and histological slides, imaging, outcome) of clinical cases selected by teachers and distributed to students for the preparation of the clinical case to be presented in the classroom

- Bibliographic materials (papers, books, proceedings, guidelines) selected by teachers pertinent to the clinical case to be presented. Students will also be invited to perform a bibliographic research on the assigned topic, on-line or in the library, to obtain further material for in-depth study.

Office hours

See the website of Giuliano Bettini

See the website of Giuseppe Sarli

See the website of Laura Marconato

See the website of Alessia Diana

See the website of Ombretta Capitani