Transmissible Venereal Tumor: A Review (Transmisibil Venereal Tümör: Derleme)

Transmissible venereal tumor (TVT) is a neoplasm that can be transmitted between female and male dogs via mating by the physical transfer of viable tumor cells. The tumor may spread to different parts of the body through sniffing, licking, scratching or biting affected lesions. It can be also observed in wild carnivores. TVT is mostly located in the posterior wall of the vagina, in the joint of vaginal vestibule and vagina in female dogs, while it is usually located in caudal part of the penis in males. Initially, the tumor is small and varying from pink to red, subsequently progressing to a large, ulcerated, and contaminated mass. By the time, the tumor’s volume increases and the lesions become friable, hyperemic, hemorrhagic, multilobular and cauliflower-like masses. A serosanguinous vaginal discharge is observed. Definitive diagnosis is based on anamnesis, location of the mass, cytological and histological findings. The cells in the slides vary from round to oval or variable shapes and contain a pale blue or colorless cytoplasm with a single distinctive nucleus. They include small, light, clear intracytoplasmic vacuoles. TVT should be immediately treated as soon as diagnosed because there is no method to prevent it. Chemotherapy is the effective method for the treatment of TVT with the intravenous use of vincristine sulfate, which is a chemotherapeutic agent, once in a week for approximately three weeks applications. The cure rate varies at 9095%. In this review, the incidence, etiopathogenesis, clinical findings, diagnosis, prognosis and therapies of TVT have been