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This is a general question, on if cancer surgery on fish can be an effective treatment. An answer on the related question Tilapia - Growth on neck suggests that all cancer surgery on fish will be unsuccessful.

I personally have seen a large carp (in a 5 gallon bucket of water) with a tumor visiting my exotics vet for surgery. I have another memory, of similar fish coming in for a check at another visit. At the time I assumed that it was the same fish, coming in for a post surgery check up. I don't really know what the out come was, I have just assumed everything was fine.

Update (some months later) Sharing the waiting room, with two large white and orange/red carp again. Owner verifies the carp is coming in for yet another cancer removal surgery, on a new tumor. As we know some ornamental fish can live long lives and it appears survive repeated surgery.

Looking for documented results of surgery success rates for growths on fish, cancerous, non-cancerous or undefined.

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  • Actually, I didn't say all since thyroid cancers are distinctly treatable with iodine. Tumor surgery for fish is out there, though most don't opt for it, but what doesn't seem to be described is success in remission.
    – Joanne C
    Commented Mar 26, 2014 at 0:27
  • @JohnCavan, I would not define drug treatment (iodine) as a "surgery". This question is focused on surgery not drugs ;)
    – James Jenkins
    Commented Mar 26, 2014 at 10:56
  • Fair! Just want to be clear that I didn't think all were incurable. Still haven't found proof of success though, I suppose it's a bit of fringe activity for many given that few have emotional bonds with their fish.
    – Joanne C
    Commented Mar 26, 2014 at 14:24
  • I can't find anything right now (time) but look at zebrafish (danio rerio) and melanoma with the SETDB1 gene. There have been lots of studies and I'm sure some have involved surgical removal. That's scientific though, not hobbyist.
    – Raystafarian
    Commented Mar 28, 2014 at 10:21
  • The lifespan on fish is so short and the cost for surgery so high, I doubt there's going to be many, if any, documented cases of tumor removal on fish.
    – Jestep
    Commented Apr 3, 2014 at 23:46

1 Answer 1

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Of course, the surgery can be successful. If the tumour is not malignant and it is located in some easily operable place, for example on a fin, the surgery is easy and will be successful with a very high probability if done by a vet or even a skilled amateur. On the other hand, a malignant tumour already grown into some vitally important tissue may be inoperable. If any trace is left, it will grow again.

This is based on my 30-year experience of keeping and breeding tropical fish. If you want scientific articles, I bet there are many, but finding them might be a lot of work - here, for example, a koi healthy 15 months after a malignant tumour surgery: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f1de/fb2d1effea3e64506b0e65dd8d6b28349507.pdf

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    The answer does not really provided anything not in the question. Can you improve it by adding documented outcomes?
    – James Jenkins
    Commented Mar 25, 2018 at 23:34
  • What do you consider a "documented outcome"? This is based on my 30-year experience of keeping and breeding tropical fish. If you want scientific articles, I bet there are many, but finding them might be a lot of work - here, for example, a koi healthy 15 months after a malignant tumour surgery: pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f1de/…
    – Fish-in-Tea
    Commented Mar 27, 2018 at 20:59
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    for this sugery to be considered a sucsess i think the malignant growth must be gone for atleast two years like it is in humans.
    – trond hansen
    Commented Apr 24, 2019 at 16:06

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