Affects: Cats
Cancer in cats is the leading cause of death among cats. It is caused by uncontrolled cell growth, and affects a wide range of cell types and organs in the body. Feline cancer initially manifests as a lump or bump on any part of the body. It rapidly grows in the affected cell, attaches itself to the tissue under the skin in that area, and, depending on the tumour, it can spread to other parts of the body. Although cancer accounts for approximately 32% of deaths in cats over ten years old, it can be successfully treated if diagnosed early.
While the causes of cancer in cats are unknown, feline leukaemia virus is suspected to be a prime contributor. Other factors suspected to increase rates of feline cancer include toxins from the environment, passive smoking, excessive grooming, or licking parts of the body that have been in contact with an environmental toxin.
Cancer can be detected at an early stage by observing certain signs and symptoms. Common diagnostic methods include physical examination, x-rays, ultrasounds, cytology, blood tests, urine tests, and nuclear scans. Depending on the type of cancer and its level of progress, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy may be used to treat the cancer. Although research into causes and treatment of feline cancers has been slow, there have been advances in radiation therapy, as well as newer and improved chemotherapy procedures.
Signs And Symptoms: Cancer in cats can occur in any location or body system, and most symptoms can be detected externally. While each type of cancer has its own distinctive symptoms, most indicate their presence by the occurrence and the prolonged presence of any common symptom. Some of the general symptoms of cancer in cats are:
Any lump that changes shape or size
Any sore that does not heal
Change in bowel or bladder habits
Difficulty eating or swallowing
Diagnosis: Diagnosing the type of cancer, by the analysis of the structure of the tumour and cancer cells, helps determine the best treatment.
Physical examination is the most common diagnostic method because typically most tumours can be diagnosed using physical examination with visual observation and manual palpation.
X-rays may or may not make use of contrast techniques to help visualize the gastrointestinal tract. They are commonly used to identify tumours of the lung, gastrointestinal tract and bladder.
Treatment: Treatments of cancer in cats usually consists of diagnosis and observation of the tumour to determine its type and size, the development of a treatment plan, the associated goals on the part of the treatment methods, and the regular evaluation of the overall health of the pet.
Surgery can be utilized if the tumour is localized and accessible, with the goal of removing all malignant cells before any spreading occurs to other regions of the pet. It continues to be the most common choice for treatment of cancer in felines.
Radiation is used to control or cure cancers provided: the tumour targeted falls in the range suitable for radiation, no radiosensitive organs are involved, and it can be meta-sized. It can be done either internally through implants (brachytherapy), or externally by using radioactive beams (tele-therapy). This destroys the DNA of the cells and ensures reproduction chances are diminished.
Chemotherapy breaks down the chromosomes of the cell or tumour, so cell division becomes impossible. This stops the affected cells to reproduce or spread to other parts of the body. Side effects include bone marrow depression, nausea, hair loss and hemorrhaging, with a major issue being that it does not work effectively against large tumours.
Prevention: The prevention of feline cancer mainly depends on the cat's diet and lifestyle, as well as the detection of early signs and symptoms of cancer before it advances to a further stage. If cancer is detected at an earlier stage, it has a higher chance of being treated, thus improving the chance of survival. Taking cats for regular checkups to the veterinarian can help spot signs and symptoms of cancer early on.
Vaccines: Vaccines help the immune system fight off pathogens, which is another key to prevention. A vaccine for feline leukaemia virus was created in 1969.