Surgical treatment using CO2 laser of feline squamous cell carcinoma of nasal planum in 6 cats

The objective of this study was to report the outcomes of surgical excision of feline squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)-affected nasal planum by using CO2 laser. Six cats histologically confirmed with SCC accounted for T2 (33.33%), T3 (33.33%), and T4 (33.33%) were included in this study. CO2 laser was used to excise SCC lesion and clinical outcomes were followed up. The CO2 laser minimised blood loss during surgery and the mild inflammation of surgical wound was controlled after surgery. All cats that underwent surgical excision using CO2 laser showed complete wound healing in a median of time at 27 days after surgery. Tumor recurrence and disease free interval (DFI) were recorded and statistically analyzed. The overall median time of recurrence was 150 days after surgery and there was a significant correlation between the stage of tumor and local recurrence. Lesions in the early stage of SCC showed longer DFI than those in the advanced stage. Therefore, the use of CO2 laser could be considered as an alternative way of surgery for early stage of feline nasal planum SCC.