Preface

      As stated in the first edition of Veterinary Surgical Oncology, the impetus to write the book was to fulfill the goals of the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology (VSSO), which includes to “disseminate knowledge to help provide the highest possible standard of surgical treatment for cancer and to encourage and promote education in surgical oncology for professional veterinary students, graduate students and house officers, and graduated veterinarians and veterinary surgeons.” As evidenced by the number of book sales, the translation into different languages, and the listing of the book on several reading lists for specialist surgery colleges, including the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), these goals appear to have been met. Veterinary Surgical Oncology has proudly become the most comprehensive resource in this field and is an integral tool for surgeons performing both basic and advanced surgical oncology procedures.

      The field of Veterinary Surgical Oncology, however, is an ever‐evolving science, and to maintain currency, the second edition was completed. Some significant changes in the second edition include expansion of the interventional oncology chapter and inclusion of these techniques in different chapters due to the rapid growth of this discipline and the recruitment of specialist medical oncologists and neurologists to enhance the multimodal therapy and nervous system chapters, respectively. New figures, additional surgical procedures, and updated information are included in the second edition. The underlying importance of a multidisciplinary approach to cancer, with a high level of understanding of diagnostic imaging, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, alternative therapies, and cancer biology, remains a consistent feature in this textbook, as it is integral to surgical success and overall patient outcome.

      Surgical oncologists are also cognizant of the fact that their procedures can be invasive, with significant alteration to cosmesis and function, and to this end, an additional chapter, entitled “Ethics and Surgical Limits of Surgical Oncology,” was added. Controversy can sometimes exist with regard to performing some more invasive procedures, and this chapter addresses this issue with a discussion of anatomic, functional, and ethical limits of surgical oncology procedures. The goal of our surgical intervention remains the same, which is to improve the quality and life expectancy of animals with cancer while minimizing harm. This can, however, require a large “surgical dose” or surgical intervention. To allow these invasive surgeries to benefit our patients, excellent communication skills with owners regarding the expected outcome, potential morbidity and complications, and survival time are imperative.

      The objectives of the second edition remain the same as those for the first edition: this book is not meant to be a full review of small animal oncology. We wanted to concentrate on the surgical procedures, such as those that are not well covered in other textbooks, and importantly to assist with decision making by providing information such as complications, prognoses, and adjuvant or alternative therapies. The reader is expected to have a basic knowledge of general surgical principles and surgical techniques.

      Without the excellent contribution and collaboration by the chapter authors, all of whom are leaders in the field of surgical oncology, the second edition of this textbook would not have been possible. We are indebted to our colleagues who have tirelessly reviewed the first edition and any feedback from readers to correct any shortfalls in their chapters, as well as to add newer and pertinent information. We also want to thank Justinia Wood, Catriona Cooper, Teri Jensen, Erica Judisch, Jayadivya Saiprasad, and particularly Merryl Le Roux and Susan Engelken, from Wiley‐Blackwell, for their assistance, guidance, and patience during the process of updating the first edition. We also want to thank Molly Borman and Kip Carter for creating new illustrations, Maddi Funk for photography and technical assistance with new figures. Finally, and most importantly, we want to thank our families who have again lived through the creation of the second edition, which has encompassed trying times in world health, and we sincerely appreciate their resilience and support. We are confident that Veterinary Surgical Oncology will remain the textbook of choice for students, interns, residents, and veterinary surgeons with interest in surgical oncology.

       Simon T. Kudnig and Bernard Séguin