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Cats + Cancer & Tumors

  • These are tumours arising from structures within the eye. They tend to result in an increase in the internal pressure (glaucoma), which then leads to blindness.

  • Melanocytic tumours are formed by abnormal melanocytes. Melanocytoma is a benign (non-spreading) melanoma. Malignant (spreading) tumours are sometimes called melanoma or more specifically malignant melanoma or melanosarcoma.

  • Fibrosarcoma is a tumour originating from the fibroblasts of the skin and subcutaneous connective tissue. The feline sarcoid is a subtype of tumour that is caused by a papilloma (wart) virus.

  • Fits (seizures) or "funny turns" (so-called absences) can be due to many causes. As with any veterinary problem a thorough history and physical examination is the first step.

  • This is one of many similar tumours that arise by disordered growth of the hair follicles. These tumours are almost all benign and can be permanently cured by total surgical removal.

  • Tumours of the intestinal epithelial lining include non-cancerous polyps, benign adenomas and malignant epithelial tumours (adenocarcinomas).

  • Cancers of the liver cells are called hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas.

  • The liver has a massive blood supply so many cancer cells from elsewhere arrive within it and start to grow. In dogs metastatic tumours are three times as common as primary tumours and over 30% of malignant cancer is said to metastasize to the liver.

  • Most lung cancers originate from the epithelium lining the airways. In dogs, most are from the alveoli where oxygen is taken up into the body but in people and in cats, most originate in the main airways (bronchi).

  • Cancer of the cells of the lymph nodes (lymphoma, lymphosarcoma) has to be distinguished from other causes of lymph node swelling by histopathology. Some types of cancer are slower growing than others but all are potentially life-threatening.