Filippo Scarpa

Publications (3)3.58 Total impact

• Article: Use of histologic margin evaluation to predict recurrence of cutaneous malignant tumors in dogs and cats after surgical excision.

  Filippo Scarpa, Silvia Sabattini, Laura Marconato, Ombretta Capitani, Maria Morini, Giuliano Bettini
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  ABSTRACT: To assess the usefulness of histologic evaluation of surgical margins to predict local recurrence of cutaneous malignant tumors in dogs and cats treated by means of surgical excision. Prospective case series. 40 dogs and 20 cats. 60 surgically excised tumors (20 soft tissue sarcomas [STSs], 20 mast cell tumors [MCTs], and 20 carcinomas) were examined histologically. Margins were classified as clean, close, or infiltrated; histologic grade was assessed in STSs and MCTs. Recurrence rates and recurrence-free intervals (RFIs) during a 24-month follow-up period were recorded, and method accuracy was calculated. Surgical margins were clean in 29 of 60 (48%) tumors, close in 11 (18%), and infiltrated in 20 (33%). Tumors recurred in 27 of 60 (45%) animals, with a mean ± SD RFI of 229 ± 173 days. Recurrence rates for animals that had tumors with infiltrated (16/20) or close (8/11) margins were significantly higher than recurrence rate for animals that had tumors with clean margins (3/29). Margin classification was a significant predictor of RFI. Accuracy of the method to predict recurrence was 94% for carcinomas, 87% for STSs, and 76% for MCTs. Histologic assessment of margin status was useful for predicting local recurrence of cutaneous malignant tumors in dogs and cats treated by means of excision alone. Method accuracy varied among tumor types and grades. Recurrence times suggested postsurgical follow-up should continue for ≥ 2 years. Results were similar for animals with infiltrated and close tumor margins, and careful postsurgical management is recommended for both.
  Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 05/2012; 240(10):1181-7. · 1.79 Impact Factor
• Article: Epidermal growth factor receptor expression is predictive of poor prognosis in feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

  Silvia Sabattini, Laura Marconato, Aurora Zoff, Maria Morini, Filippo Scarpa, Ombretta Capitani, Giuliano Bettini
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  ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (FC-SCC) and assess its prognostic role. Nineteen formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded excisional biopsies of FC-SCC were tested for EGFR expression using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Relationships between EGFR expression and histopathological parameters (differentiation, mitotic activity), disease-free interval (DFI) and overall survival (OS) at 24 months were further investigated. Fourteen of 19 tumours (73.7%) were positive for EGFR, with great variation in intensity and proportion of labelled cells. EGFR expression was not correlated with tumour differentiation or mitotic activity. Nine cats (47.4%) died of tumour-related causes. Patients with EGFR-positive tumours had a significantly worse outcome (P=0.0217), with decreased DFIs (P=0.0075) and survival times (P=0.0391). These data suggest that EGFR expression carries a negative prognostic significance in FC-SCC. EGFR inhibitors in association with conventional treatments may improve outcome for the subgroup of cats with EGFR-positive tumours.
  Journal of feline medicine and surgery. 10/2010; 12(10):760-8.
• Article: What is your diagnosis? Intestinal neoplasia, segmental enteritis, and linear foreign body associated with a partially obstructive pattern.

  Alessandra Cepparulo, Simona Valentini, Roberto Tamburro, Giuliano Bettini, Filippo Scarpa, Alessia Diana, Marco Pietra
  Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 08/2009; 235(1):27-8. · 1.79 Impact Factor