Clinicopathologic features, tumor staging, and intratumoral inflammation in canine oral non-tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas

Oral cancers, such as squamous cell carcinomas, constitute important diseases in veterinary patients, as they are frequently observed in pets. Their usually aggressive behavior makes it critical to characterize the clinicopathologic features that can provide useful data for decision-making. Recently, the importance of inflammatory cell infiltration in different tumor types has been highlighted due to its association with clinical findings and outcomes. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate clinicopathologic features in 62 cases of canine oral non-tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas, as well as to investigate tumor infiltration by inflammatory cells and its relation to clinical staging. Statistically significant results were observed when comparing neutrophil infiltration in stage 2 patients and animals presenting higher stages (3 and 4). Patients in stages 3 and 4 revealed lower neutrophil infiltration than stage 2 dogs. Histological grading showed differences in mitotic count between less differentiated and well/moderately differentiated neoplasms. Such features—especially those related to neutrophil infiltration and tumor staging—are relevant for the comprehension of non-tonsillar tumors, consequently aiding in decision-making in cases of canine oral squamous cell carcinoma in dogs.