Diabetes and Multiple Myeloma

Hi,

My baby boy, Dallas, (who's 14 years old), was just diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (cancer). He also has diabetes. Has anyone dealt with this combination? I'm needing to decide on a course of action (chemo or not to chemo) and I'm worried about the possible effects that chemo may have on a cat with diabetes. My vet isn't sure how it would effect the sugar level ... causing it to spike in either direction??? ... as this cancer is rare in cats.

Any thoughts, advice, words of wisdom, anything at all, would be very greatly appreciated!!

Thanks so much!!

Dee

 

Hi there

I am sorry to read of the cancer diagnosis! We've had quite a few cats diagnosed with cancer here but I've no personal experience. I can tell you that prognosis and treatment really varies with the type of cancer, and that it seems with some cancers and chemo treatments that cats can do very well. As for cancer and diabetes, we've found that cancer 'eats' glucose and can lead to lower insulin levels...I'm not certain what impacts treatment has.

My suggestion is to use the search function of this website so you can find other posts on myeloma.

Good luck and let us know how we can help

Jen

 

Feeding low carb is good for both cancer and diabetes.
Some research suggests that higher carb levels 'fuel' the cancer. There is even an Rx dog food based on that (Hills, I think)

You need to find out what stage they think the cancer is, and take that into account with the cat's age, health, and response to vet trips/stress in making your decision. Finding cancer at stage 1 (localized) is much different from stage 4 (metastasized).

Chemo is not aimed at cure, but control, in many cases (living with cancer). This is because dosing for cure can be really hard on the animal. Although many do not have adverse reactions to chemo, Pepper (GA), always had vomiting and diarrhea after recieving leukaran, until I convinced them I needed to prophylactically dose with anti-nausea/diarrhea meds.

And chemo is quite expensive. In Pepper's case, it prolonged her life 3 months more than the average (9 months, over 6), to the tune of some $3000-4000. She was stressed by the trips in for chemo and got sick every time. It was not quality life. If I had known it was disseminated, I never would have done that to her.

 

Jen ... thanks so much for the reply! I appreciate it, and will definitely do a search. I know I should have probably started off that way, but I was feeling rushed earlier when I'd posted. (Work was crazy today, and I was trying to do this on top of what I should have been doing ... lol ...) Bad, I know! :smile:

BJ ... thank you so much for your input, that was exactly what I'd needed! Personal accounts definitely help towards decision making. I do have him on an herbal remedy now to help keep him comfortable. (Altho' he hasn't shown any sign of symptoms at this point.) It was a fluke we discovered this. Unfortunately, tho', it may have been going on since August, at least. My vet saw that his protein level was elevated a bit then, but not enough to raise a flag. So it looks like this is advanced (he does have a tumor in his liver). So .... not the best thought.

I'm leaning more towards just trying to keep him comfortable at this point. The sounds of what I've read about chemo, and what you've said, it doesn't sound like it would be pleasant, and it could make the rest of the time we have together not very good. Maybe if we'd caught it sooner, but now ... I just don't know. It's a tough decision.

But thank you both so much for your replies, Dallas and I appreciate it so much!!

 

I would seriously do more research before discounting chemo. Deanie has at least one cat on chemo and she's done great!

 

One of the common palliative meds used is prednisone and it may help the cat feel more comfortable ... and possibly elevate the glucose levels.

Some discussion of chemo approaches and types of cancer
http://www.dcavm.org/02june.htm