Patterns of metastatic progression and association with clinical outcomes in canine osteosarcoma: A necropsy study of 83 dogs

Osteosarcoma is a highly metastatic primary bone tumour that occurs spontaneously in both pet dogs and humans. Patterns of metastasis to organs beyond the most common site (lung) are poorly characterised and it is unknown whether specific associations between patterns of metastatic progression and patient features exist. This retrospective study characterised the necropsy findings of 83 dogs receiving standardised therapy and clinical monitoring in a prospective clinical trial setting to document patterns of metastasis and correlate outcomes with these patterns and other patient and tumour‐specific factors. A total of 20 different sites of metastasis were documented, with lung as the most common site, followed by bone, kidney, liver, and heart. Two distinct clusters of dogs were identified based on patterns of metastasis. There was no significant association between site of enrollment, trial arm, sex, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, or tumour location and clinical outcomes. A second cancer type was identified at necropsy in 10 dogs (10/83; 12%). These data showcase the extensive nature of osteosarcoma metastasis beyond the lung and provide a benchmark for clinical monitoring of the disease. Further, this study provides insight into transcriptional features of primary tumours that may relate to a propensity for osteosarcoma metastasis to specific organs and tissues.