Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (734 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A solid tumor consisting of a dense infiltration of mast cells. It is generally benign.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Mastocytoma, Benign; Benign Mastocytoma; Extracutaneous Mastocytoma; Extracutaneous Mastocytomas; Mastocytomas, Extracutaneous; Mastocytoma, Extracutaneous.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Mastocytosis
- Narrower topics
- Mastocytoma, Skin
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 494 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Mastocytoma” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 72 of them (14.6%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 216 records.
Reviews account for 21 records (4.3%) and meta-analyses for 1. Randomized controlled trials number 3 (0.6%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 46 |
| 2000-2009 | 160 |
| 2010-2019 | 216 |
| 2020 onward | 72 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 21 | 4.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 1 | 0.2% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 3 | 0.6% |
Method: PubMed query "Mastocytoma"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in cancer and oncology
Cancer research spans very different kinds of evidence. Laboratory studies in cell lines and animal models reveal mechanisms but often do not translate to patients. Early-phase trials mainly test safety and dosing, while phase 3 randomized trials and their meta-analyses are the usual basis for treatment conclusions. Outcomes also differ in meaning: tumour shrinkage, progression-free survival and overall survival are not interchangeable, and screening studies can be distorted by lead-time and overdiagnosis. When reading a result, check the cancer type and stage studied, the comparison treatment, and which outcome was measured.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genome-Wide Association Study of Golden Retrievers Identifies Germ-Line Risk Factors Predisposing to Mast Cell Tumours | 2015 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 41 | cc by PMID 26588071 · DOI · PMC4654484 |
| Epidemiological assessment of the risk of canine mast cell tumours based on the Kiupel two-grade malignancy classification | 2018 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 37 | cc by PMID 30390687 · DOI · PMC6215678 |
| Heterologous arenavirus vector prime-boost overrules self-tolerance for efficient tumor-specific CD8 T cell attack | 2021 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 32 | cc by PMID 33763654 · DOI · PMC7974551 |
| Efficacy and safety evaluation of gilvetmab in dogs with melanoma and mast cell tumor | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 3 | cc by PMID 42247661 · DOI · PMC13240851 |
Genome-Wide Association Study of Golden Retrievers Identifies Germ-Line Risk Factors Predisposing to Mast Cell Tumours [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Canine mast cell tumours (CMCT) are one of the most common skin tumours in dogs with a major impact on canine health.
- Closing excerpt
- In addition, disease associated haplotypes harbouring the hyaluronidase genes HYAL1, HYAL2 and HYAL3 on cfa20 and HYAL4, SPAM1 and HYALP1 on cfa14 were identified as separate risk factors in European and US golden retrievers, respectively, suggesting that turnover of hyaluronan plays an important role in the development of CMCT.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (207 words)
Canine mast cell tumours (CMCT) are one of the most common skin tumours in dogs with a major impact on canine health. Certain breeds have a higher risk of developing mast cell tumours, suggesting that underlying predisposing germ-line genetic factors play a role in the development of this disease. The genetic risk factors are largely unknown, although somatic mutations in the oncogene C-KIT have been detected in a proportion of CMCT, making CMCT a comparative model for mastocytosis in humans where C-KIT mutations are frequent. We have performed a genome wide association study in golden retrievers from two continents and identified separate regions in the genome associated with risk of CMCT in the two populations. Sequence capture of associated regions and subsequent fine mapping in a larger cohort of dogs identified a SNP associated with development of CMCT in the GNAI2 gene (p = 2.2x10-16), introducing an alternative splice form of this gene resulting in a truncated protein. In addition, disease associated haplotypes harbouring the hyaluronidase genes HYAL1, HYAL2 and HYAL3 on cfa20 and HYAL4, SPAM1 and HYALP1 on cfa14 were identified as separate risk factors in European and US golden retrievers, respectively, suggesting that turnover of hyaluronan plays an important role in the development of CMCT.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 26588071 · DOI · PMC4654484
Epidemiological assessment of the risk of canine mast cell tumours based on the Kiupel two-grade malignancy classification [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundThe degree of differentiation of mast cell tumours (MCTs) is the most important feature and reflects the morphological characteristics and metastatic potential of the tumour and its likely response to treatment and the prognosis.
- Closing excerpt
- 18, P ConclusionsThis study demonstrated relationships between Kiupel grading system and phenotypic traits, age and location of canine MCTs confirming the complex biological nature of this tumour.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (149 words)
BackgroundThe degree of differentiation of mast cell tumours (MCTs) is the most important feature and reflects the morphological characteristics and metastatic potential of the tumour and its likely response to treatment and the prognosis. The aim of this study was to epidemiologically analyse the risk of MCT development in dogs according to breed, age, sex, size and anatomical location of the tumour using the Kiupel grading system. The analysis involved 492 dogs selected based on a histopathological assessment of 2763 canine skin tumours. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsMast cell tumours accounted for 17.8% of all diagnosed canine skin tumours. The highest risk of high-grade MCTs was noted in the Shar-Pei (OR 28.18, P ConclusionsThis study demonstrated relationships between Kiupel grading system and phenotypic traits, age and location of canine MCTs confirming the complex biological nature of this tumour.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 30390687 · DOI · PMC6215678
Heterologous arenavirus vector prime-boost overrules self-tolerance for efficient tumor-specific CD8 T cell attack [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Therapeutic vaccination regimens inducing clinically effective tumor-specific CD8+ T lymphocyte (CTL) responses are an unmet medical need.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings establish an arenavirus-based immunotherapy regimen that allows reshuffling of immunodominance hierarchies and breaking self-directed tolerance for efficient tumor control.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (150 words)
Therapeutic vaccination regimens inducing clinically effective tumor-specific CD8+ T lymphocyte (CTL) responses are an unmet medical need. We engineer two distantly related arenaviruses, Pichinde virus and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, for therapeutic cancer vaccination. In mice, life-replicating vector formats of these two viruses delivering a self-antigen in a heterologous prime-boost regimen induce tumor-specific CTL responses up to 50% of the circulating CD8 T cell pool. This CTL attack eliminates established solid tumors in a significant proportion of animals, accompanied by protection against tumor rechallenge. The magnitude of CTL responses is alarmin driven and requires combining two genealogically distantly related arenaviruses. Vector-neutralizing antibodies do not inhibit booster immunizations by the same vector or by closely related vectors. Rather, CTL immunodominance hierarchies favor vector backbone-targeted responses at the expense of self-reactive CTLs. These findings establish an arenavirus-based immunotherapy regimen that allows reshuffling of immunodominance hierarchies and breaking self-directed tolerance for efficient tumor control.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 33763654 · DOI · PMC7974551
Efficacy and safety evaluation of gilvetmab in dogs with melanoma and mast cell tumor [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed oncology in human medicine, providing clinical benefit in a broad spectrum of cancers.
- Closing excerpt
- Conclusions and clinical importanceGilvetmab has a reasonable expectation of efficacy and an acceptable preliminary safety profile in dogs with MCT stages I-III and melanoma stages II and III.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (228 words)
BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed oncology in human medicine, providing clinical benefit in a broad spectrum of cancers. Widely available ICIs for dogs are lacking.Hypothesis/objectivesEvaluate efficacy and safety of gilvetmab, a caninized anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody.AnimalsFifty-one client-owned dogs were evaluated, 25 with stages II-III melanoma and 26 with stages I-III mast cell tumor (MCT). Fifteen dogs with stages III-V lymphoma were also evaluated.MethodsMulti-institutional, open-label study. Enrolled dogs were treated with gilvetmab IV at 6 mg/kg q28d or 10 mg/kg q14d; 8 dogs receiving the lower dosage underwent dose escalation with their owners' consent. Safety was evaluated by physical examinations, laboratory testing, and clinical observations made by veterinarians or the dogs' owners. Efficacy was assessed by objective response rate (ORR) and time to progression (TTP) using cRECIST v1.0 and lymphoma response criteria.ResultsFor melanoma, the ORR was 20% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7%-41%) and median TTP was 56 days. For MCT, the ORR was 46% (95% CI, 27%-67%) and median TTP was not reached. No objective responses were observed in dogs with lymphoma. Serious adverse events of anaphylaxis, hypotension, or tumor hemorrhage occurred in 3 dogs (3/51, 5.9%). Tumor enlargement before regression, consistent with possible pseudoprogression, was observed in 2 dogs with melanoma.Conclusions and clinical importanceGilvetmab has a reasonable expectation of efficacy and an acceptable preliminary safety profile in dogs with MCT stages I-III and melanoma stages II and III.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42247661 · DOI · PMC13240851
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Canine mast cell tumours: a review of the pathogenesis, clinical features, pathology and treatment [5]
- Research article Childhood Solitary Cutaneous Mastocytoma: Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Management [6]
- Research article Prognostic and predictive significance of KIT protein expression and c-kit gene mutation in canine cutaneous mast cell tumours: A consensus of the Oncology-Pathology Working Group [7]
- Research article Comparative oncology: The paradigmatic example of canine and human mast cell neoplasms [8]
- Research article Recommendations for the Use of Tryptase in the Diagnosis of Anaphylaxis and Clonal Mastcell Disorders [9]
- Research article Canine and Feline Cutaneous Mast Cell Tumor: A Comprehensive Review of Treatments and Outcomes [10]
References
- Arendt ML, Melin M, Tonomura N, Koltookian M, Courtay-Cahen C, Flindall N, et al.. Genome-Wide Association Study of Golden Retrievers Identifies Germ-Line Risk Factors Predisposing to Mast Cell Tumours. . 2015. PMID 26588071 · DOI · PMC4654484
- Śmiech A, Ślaska B, Łopuszyński W, Jasik A, Bochyńska D, Dąbrowski R. Epidemiological assessment of the risk of canine mast cell tumours based on the Kiupel two-grade malignancy classification. . 2018. PMID 30390687 · DOI · PMC6215678
- Bonilla WV, Kirchhammer N, Marx AF, Kallert SM, Krzyzaniak MA, Lu M, et al.. Heterologous arenavirus vector prime-boost overrules self-tolerance for efficient tumor-specific CD8 T cell attack. . 2021. PMID 33763654 · DOI · PMC7974551
- Chon E, Morsey M, Katz T, Yamada K, Bailey D, Bergman PJ, et al.. Efficacy and safety evaluation of gilvetmab in dogs with melanoma and mast cell tumor. . 2026. PMID 42247661 · DOI · PMC13240851
- Welle MM, Bley CR, Howard J, Rüfenacht S. Canine mast cell tumours: a review of the pathogenesis, clinical features, pathology and treatment. Vet Dermatol. 2008. PMID 18980632 · DOI
- Leung AKC, Lam JM, Leong KF. Childhood Solitary Cutaneous Mastocytoma: Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Management. Curr Pediatr Rev. 2019. PMID 30465511 · DOI · PMC6696819
- Thamm DH, Avery AC, Berlato D, Bulman-Fleming J, Clifford CA, Hershey AE, et al.. Prognostic and predictive significance of KIT protein expression and c-kit gene mutation in canine cutaneous mast cell tumours: A consensus of the Oncology-Pathology Working Group. Vet Comp Oncol. 2019. PMID 31264352 · DOI
- Willmann M, Hadzijusufovic E, Hermine O, Dacasto M, Marconato L, Bauer K, et al.. Comparative oncology: The paradigmatic example of canine and human mast cell neoplasms. Vet Comp Oncol. 2019. PMID 30136349 · DOI · PMC6378619
- Platzgummer S, Bizzaro N, Bilò MB, Pravettoni V, Cecchi L, Sargentini V, et al.. Recommendations for the Use of Tryptase in the Diagnosis of Anaphylaxis and Clonal Mastcell Disorders. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020. PMID 31994369 · DOI
- Oliveira MT, Campos M, Lamego L, Magalhães D, Menezes R, Oliveira R, et al.. Canine and Feline Cutaneous Mast Cell Tumor: A Comprehensive Review of Treatments and Outcomes. Top Companion Anim Med. 2020. PMID 32891740 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
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