We all have had cancer patients whose outcome far exceeded our expectations. There is no better feeling than the excitement felt when a long-time cancer survivor returns for a recheck appointment, full of energy and enjoying life to its fullest. But why does this happen? Sometimes it is because an individual's cancer truly has a different biologic behavior than what is expected. However, other times it is because we set our expectations too low. The published literature on veterinary oncology often is incomplete, forcing us to make assumptions that might not always be correct. In addition, the information present frequently is misinterpreted. To provide owners with accurate expectations, accurate interpretation of the current veterinary literature is critical. Below are several important things to consider when reading the primary literature. These items will be discussed in the context of several clinical cases.
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