Abstract
Dear Editors,
I wish to thank Dr Daniel, et al for their excellent research report entitled ‘Clinical findings, diagnostics and outcome in 33 cats with adrenal neoplasia (2002–2013)’. 1 The postoperative survival of 77% of the surgical patients was described as ‘good long-term survival’. I would like more explicit data, if the authors could provide it. The authors include the statement that the long-term survival range is 4–540 weeks.
First, the data suggest that a full 23% of the surgical patients died within 2 weeks of adrenalectomy. I would like to know how many of the remaining 77% of surgical patients lived for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, and >12 months following surgery. That would give all of us a better indication of the relative practical success of surgical intervention. This is an increasingly important consideration since surgical intervention is best accomplished by a board-certified surgeon with experience in adrenalectomy, and the expense is an ever-constant client concern. Additionally, postoperative complications magnify the cost estimates as well. According to the data, only six of 26 cats (23%) survived for more than 1 year.
Second, of the 33 cases of adrenal neoplasia, seven cats did not have surgical intervention. I would be interested to know the 3, 6, 9 and 12 month, and >12 months survival rate of these non-surgical patients as a general comparison with the outcome of the surgical cases.
Knowing this additional data will enable general practitioners to more fully understand the meaning of ‘good long-term survival’ in selection of treatment recommendations for our patients.