Will Falconer, DVM Moderator
I'm quite conservative in suggesting tumor removal but that's when I'm in the driver's seat as the primary physician for my patient. This could easily be the subject of another blog or maybe a course (how about "Wrapping Your Mind Around Cancer"), but in a nutshell, removing even a malignant tumor doesn't bring an animal to a healthier status.
About the clearest time I can see for surgery is if we are losing the battle homeopathically and the tumor is either 1) very painful, like the osteosarcoma you mention, or 2) really impinging on some vital organ.
We'd do it for convenience and helping the animal, but would never imagine we helped the vital force in getting the animal cured. Usually just the opposite, like I referred to in my post.