Pancreatic cancer?

[laur+danny+horde]

Hi, my friend's son's diabetic cat Magellan may have pancreatic cancer. Looking for any info, suggestions, experiences, etc. I am suggesting to my friend that she talk to her son about the getting the fine needle aspirate to get the definitive dx of pancreatic cancer vs lymphoma. My diabetic Danny beat metastized lymphoma 5.5 years ago and is still going strong. So I personally favor trying at least one chemo to see if the cat will respond (someone has to beat the odds!).

This is the assessment my friend showed me:

Cranial abdominal mass, echogenic peritoneal effusion, mesenteric nodules and/or enlarged lymph nodes: most consistent with pancreatic neoplasia and secondary carcinaomatosis. Other ddx include lymphosarcoma. An FNA (fine needle aspirate) is required for definitive diagnosis.

Liver: may be secondary to the peritoneal effuction vs metabolic, inflammatory or less likely, neoplastic disease.

Spleen: may be a normal variant vs a reactive/hyperplastic, cannot rule out neoplastic infiltrate

Right kidney: end stage chronic disease. Mild chronic chnages of the left kidney.


Any info or ideas would be really welcome!

laur

 

[Deanie and Boo (GA) and Scout]

I would opt for the aspirate as well. Lymphoma responds fairly well to chemo and I would want to know if that were a viable treatment option.

 

[Rocket & his Mom]

I do not know have ultrasound results in front of me but Rocket was dx with pancreatic cancer back in Feb2011. Needle aspirate showed “traces of cancerous cells” but unless we did a biopsy the oncologist refused to treat him. And with no definite yes/no dx of cancer (as the aspirate can be hit/miss depending on where they aim to get the sample to be tested) and only the mass then we were sent home to see him die….at my insisting we were sent home with prednisolone and buprenorphine…..then a week later for a follow up Xrays were taken and the mass in the lung was found….he was deemed in palliative care to only last a few weeks….
We fast forward to Oct 2012….the masses have grown (he has had ultrasounds since with needle aspirates that are inconclusive for cancer dx) and he now has a second mass in the lung….with no actual biopsies he never ‘qualified’ for chemo….so no chemo treatment was ever offered….
Had it changed the outcome? Perhaps. Would have that shortened his life? Perhaps.
All I know is that he is still here with me. He has beaten the odds and proven vets and specialists wrong.
It has been an incredibly challenging experience but one I would not trade for any money or treatment in the world….i still hug him and cuddle him…and I’m still fighting so long as he is willing to and so far he is still giving me attitude….

Those are my two cents…
He never got chemo….vets never offered it….all he has had all along in the prednisolone and buprenorphine along with my love and lots of TLC and many prayers…..

good luck