Update on feline soft tissue sarcomas

Background: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are common in cats, with varying levels of aggressiveness – some are easily removed surgically, while others are harder to treat. Recent research suggests that adjuvant radiotherapy can offer effective long-term control when microscopic disease remains. Feline injection-site sarcomas (FISS) highlight the unique nature of feline cancers. While prognosis was once difficult, a new histological grading system has been proposed to help assess these tumours.

Aim of the article: This article will examine the importance of feline STS and the complications FISS introduces. It will examine the long-standing histological grading system routinely applied to canine STS and its origin as a system for human STS. It will then discuss the proposed histological grading system for feline STS and possible future directions research into and the prognostication these tumours may take.