What is the purpose of staging tumors in veterinary oncology?

The purpose of staging tumors in veterinary oncology primarily centers on determining the extent of disease. Staging provides a systematic way to classify the size and spread of a tumor within the body, which is crucial for devising an appropriate treatment plan. It enables veterinarians to understand not only where the tumor is located but also whether it has spread to nearby lymph nodes or other organs. This information can significantly influence treatment options, as different stages may require different therapeutic approaches.

While the other options may seem relevant, they are not the primary goal of staging. Estimating treatment cost is typically more related to economic aspects of care rather than the clinical evaluation of the disease itself. Predicting patient survival time does involve considering the stage of cancer but is a secondary outcome rather than the main purpose of staging. Identifying possible metastasis can be a part of staging, but it is still fundamentally about assessing the overall extent of the disease rather than just the presence of metastases.