On-Demand ASAV Webinar | Detect earlier, stage smarter: diagnostic advances in cancer care for animals | Dr Kathleen O’Connell
6 May, 2026 @ 8:00 pm - 7 May, 2027 @ 9:00 pm AEST
Free - $50.00
Early cancer detection and accurate staging remain key challenges in veterinary practice, with many dogs diagnosed at advanced stages. Two evolving tools—liquid biopsy and sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping—can help improve both early diagnosis and staging accuracy in general practice and referral settings.
Liquid biopsy is a minimally invasive blood test that detects cancer-associated DNA fragments (circulating tumour DNA) shed into the bloodstream. In dogs with cancer, tumour-derived DNA can be identified through genomic analysis. For example, in a dog presenting with vague clinical signs such as weight loss or lethargy, liquid biopsy may support a suspicion of underlying malignancy and help prioritise further diagnostics. It may also be useful in screening higher-risk patients, such as older dogs or predisposed breeds.
Sentinel lymph node mapping improves staging by identifying the first lymph node(s) draining a tumour, which may not be the expected regional node. Traditional palpation and sampling of accessible lymph nodes may miss metastatic disease, particularly when nodes are not enlarged.
SLN mapping techniques—including radiographic lymphography, CT lymphography, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, and near-infrared imaging—allow more accurate identification of tumour drainage pathways. Although SLN mapping is still evolving in veterinary medicine, it has clear potential to improve staging accuracy, guide surgical decision-making, and refine prognosis.
Together, liquid biopsy and SLN mapping represent valuable tools to support earlier detection and more informed cancer management in clinical practice.
Who should attend
Veterinarians, New Grads, Students and Practice Managers
Further details
Please note this On-Demand webinar is free for AVA members.
Please ensure you are logged into the AVA website before registering.
If you previously registered for the live webinar held on the 6 May 2025, please follow the steps below to access the on demand recording on My Learning:
- Browse to https://mylearning.ava.com.au
- Click on the Personal account button
- If you are prompted, log in with your AVA website account*
- When you land on the My Learning Home Page, click on the Record of Learning button. IMPORTANT: the webinar course will appear in approximately 5 minutes. You can refresh your browser during this time to speed up the process a little.
* Don’t have an AVA website account? Click here to create an account and follow the prompts. Following this, your account and the on demand webinar will be available within the next hour. After this time, please return to the steps above.
Our speakers
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- Name
- Dr Kathleen O'Connell
- Biography
Kathleen has been dedicated to the field of oncology since working on the human melanoma vaccine trial at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in 2001 as a researcher. She credits her background in immunology research and publication of a thesis on tumour cell metastasis with piquing her interest in the specialty of oncology. After a number of years in cancer research she completed a bachelor of veterinary science, graduating from the University of Queensland in 2006 with first class honours. Following graduation, she worked in general practice in Brisbane before commencing training as a resident in Veterinary Oncology in 2008.
In 2010 she attained MANZCVS in Small Animal Medicine and then in 2013 attained FANZCVS and became a registered specialist in Veterinary Oncology. Her main areas of interest include haematological cancers, melanoma and mast cell tumours. She has worked in her own referral oncology service and is excited to have become a founding partner of the Animal Referral Hospital, a specialist clinic that opened in Sinnamon Park, Brisbane, in 2017.
Kathleen is a national and international speaker and has published numerous articles on many aspects of oncology. She has also joined the Australian Palliative Care Advisory Council to aid with palliative and hospice care options as well as to end of life decisions for oncology patients.
- Job title
- Veterinary Oncologist
