MJ+Donovan
Member Since 2009
Donovan's buddy Butthead's prior update: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=33775
I did not want to post this yesterday and spoil the nice birthday parties and add to the sadness here. Please know that I am praying for you all even when I don't post. I haven't been in the best frame of mind lately.
This needs to be relatively short. I'm at work and need to try to hold myself together.
Butthead has been on oral chemo Palladia for about 6 weeks now. Last bloodwork and re-check 2 weeks ago was fine. Thought I felt a new small lump, but vet believed it to be scar tissue from the surgeries and was unable to aspirate any abnormal cells. Last week I noticed another larger lump. Yesterday I brought him to be examined, and the aspirated cells are cancerous.
Ok, starting to cry already. So just the facts, from the vet oncologist at Angell in Boston:
"I am sorry to hear that the mass has returned. It seems as if this tumor is behaving unusually aggressively and regrowing very quickly. I would stop the Palladia and if you want to pursue treatment another option is chemotherapy alone with a drug known as carboplatin. Carboplatin is extremely well tolerated in cats and has very few side effects. The chemotherapy would be given once every 3 weeks for 3 to 5 total treatments. Unfortunately when there is a solid tumor present it is not highly effective and only slows tumor growth 20-30% of the time for an average of 3 to 9 months.
The recommended treatment would be radiation therapy. This is a series of 17 to 21 doses of local radiation therapy given once daily to the area where the tumor is located. The treatment works in 70-80% of patients and this treatment results in an average remission of 9 to 12 months. Bailey would be anesthetized daily for each treatment. Cost averages $4500-5500 for the full course of treatment.
Another alternative to definitive (or high dose) radiation therapy is palliative or low dose radiation treatment. This is a course of 6 treatments of radiation therapy given on twice daily for 3 consecutive weeks. The radiation is a relatively low total dose and the only possible side effects may some mild hair loss or irritation within the throat area. The treatment works in 60-70% of patients and may slow the tumor down 4 to 6 months and most cats have significant shrinkage of their tumor for a short period of time. Bailey would need a CT scan for radiation planning to minimize any damage to normal tissues. Cost for the palliative course averages $2500.
If you choose to do nothing it may be helpful to put Bailey on Tramadol for pain control if he seems uncomfortable. It is hard to know how quickly it is going to progress but based on previous behavior the tumor is acting very aggressively. Please let me know if you have any additional questions."
And that's where we are now.
I will check back later when I can have a proper meltdown in private.
MJ&Donovan&Butthead
I did not want to post this yesterday and spoil the nice birthday parties and add to the sadness here. Please know that I am praying for you all even when I don't post. I haven't been in the best frame of mind lately.
This needs to be relatively short. I'm at work and need to try to hold myself together.
Butthead has been on oral chemo Palladia for about 6 weeks now. Last bloodwork and re-check 2 weeks ago was fine. Thought I felt a new small lump, but vet believed it to be scar tissue from the surgeries and was unable to aspirate any abnormal cells. Last week I noticed another larger lump. Yesterday I brought him to be examined, and the aspirated cells are cancerous.
Ok, starting to cry already. So just the facts, from the vet oncologist at Angell in Boston:
"I am sorry to hear that the mass has returned. It seems as if this tumor is behaving unusually aggressively and regrowing very quickly. I would stop the Palladia and if you want to pursue treatment another option is chemotherapy alone with a drug known as carboplatin. Carboplatin is extremely well tolerated in cats and has very few side effects. The chemotherapy would be given once every 3 weeks for 3 to 5 total treatments. Unfortunately when there is a solid tumor present it is not highly effective and only slows tumor growth 20-30% of the time for an average of 3 to 9 months.
The recommended treatment would be radiation therapy. This is a series of 17 to 21 doses of local radiation therapy given once daily to the area where the tumor is located. The treatment works in 70-80% of patients and this treatment results in an average remission of 9 to 12 months. Bailey would be anesthetized daily for each treatment. Cost averages $4500-5500 for the full course of treatment.
Another alternative to definitive (or high dose) radiation therapy is palliative or low dose radiation treatment. This is a course of 6 treatments of radiation therapy given on twice daily for 3 consecutive weeks. The radiation is a relatively low total dose and the only possible side effects may some mild hair loss or irritation within the throat area. The treatment works in 60-70% of patients and may slow the tumor down 4 to 6 months and most cats have significant shrinkage of their tumor for a short period of time. Bailey would need a CT scan for radiation planning to minimize any damage to normal tissues. Cost for the palliative course averages $2500.
If you choose to do nothing it may be helpful to put Bailey on Tramadol for pain control if he seems uncomfortable. It is hard to know how quickly it is going to progress but based on previous behavior the tumor is acting very aggressively. Please let me know if you have any additional questions."
And that's where we are now.
I will check back later when I can have a proper meltdown in private.
MJ&Donovan&Butthead
I'm sending tons of healing vines and good thoughts. *EXTREMEHUGS* I'll be watching your posts.
