Treatment of sarcoids in equids: 230 cases (2008-2013).

The study aimed to assess the outcomes of various treatments used to manage sarcoids (a type of skin tumor) in horses and identify factors contributing to treatment failure. The various treatments evaluated included electrosurgery, medication-infused bead implantation, topical treatments, and different types of injections. The research found that electrosurgical excision offered the best success rate, and identified several risk factors that increased the chances of treatment failure.

Overview of Research

• The study is a retrospective analysis of 230 cases of equids (horses, donkeys, and mules) with sarcoids, a common type of skin tumor in these animals, treated between 2008 and 2013.
• It aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of different sarcoid treatment methods and identify any risk factors that could contribute to treatment failure.

Treatment Types

• The treatments evaluated in the study included electrosurgery, implantation of cisplatin (a chemotherapy drug)-containing beads, topical administration of medicines imiquimod or acyclovir, cryosurgery (using cold treatment), injections of the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine or intralesional injections of platinum-containing drugs.
• The decision for treatment choice was determined using a standard protocol.

Study Methodology and Variables

• Data regarding the animal, tumor characteristics, treatment methods used, and outcomes were collected and analyzed.
• Treatment success was defined as the complete regression of the tumor without any recurrence for a minimum period of six months.
• The study used binary logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors for treatment failure and to compare the efficacy of the two topical treatments.
• The χ(2) test was used to compare the effects of the number of BCG vaccine or cisplatin-containing drug injections on the treatment outcome.

Results and Conclusion

• The study found that overall treatment success rate was 74.9%. The most successful treatment method was electrosurgical excision with a success rate of 86.8%.
• The factors increasing the odds of treatment failure significantly included the use of intralesional injections of platinum-containing drugs, cryosurgery, and topical acyclovir treatment.
• The presence of multiple tumors increased the chances of treatment failure compared to solitary lesions. Concurrent immunostimulating treatment for another sarcoid reduced the chances of treatment failure.
• The study acknowledged a selection bias in its design, due to the standardized protocol used for treatment choice, but suggested that its results could assist clinicians in selecting treatments and determining prognosis for equids with sarcoids.