Grape-sized tumor under the skin

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    • #21909
      lsweeney
      Member

      This is under the skin, not in the skin on a 20-year-old purebred Friesian. Hard, round, about the size of a grape. What are the next steps? Advice please? I ignored a tumor on one of my horse’s legs once, and when it started to grow to the size of a 1/2 egg, I had underestimated the danger of it being on the upper stifle – close to nerves that could affect the use of her leg. It would have been much better to remove it when it was small. The surgery was a success, but a nail-biter. I’ve always heard that if you open them and they are cancerous, you run the risk of spreading the cancer. The histology on my other Friesian’s tumor was that it was rare, non-cancerous, but would likely return….but it didn’t.

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    • #21912

      Hello laurie,
      This could be a chronic inflammatory reaction, say to a deep bug bite that is fibrosing or a neoplasia of unknown carcinogenicity. Most subq bumps of this type are not metastatic cancer but without proof who can say? If you and your veterinarian are worried this may be cancer I see two choices: a needle biopsy or removal. If the horse is very compliant and this can be done standing, I would opt for removal and then depending on its appearance maybe histopath.
      DrO

    • #21920
      lsweeney
      Member

      Thank you!!

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