Unfortunately, most cats tend to hide their diseases until they are very sick. The various kinds of cancer in cats are particularly insidious and rarely symptomatic until they are fairly far advanced. Just as it is in humans, pancreatic cancer in cats is difficult to treat and even harder to cure, and prognosis for the feline patient is usually poor.
Types
Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the most common cancer of the exocrine (glandular) pancreas in cats. The exocrine portion of the pancreas produces enzymes that allow for the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. Adenocarcinoma is a fast-growing tumor that quickly metastasizes to other organs in the body and is commonly asymptomatic until it is well advanced. Usually by the time of diagnosis, the cancer has already spread and treatment is difficult.
Symptoms
In many cases, the signs of adenocarcinoma will remain hidden until late in the disease. Some cats may present with symptoms of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, dehydration, depression, an inability to eat and pain upon palpation of the abdomen. But routine veterinary blood tests, which may show elevated chemistry levels in pancreatitis, may show no such elevations with this type of cancer. Abdominal radiographs may show a soft-tissue mass near the pancreas but still not demonstrate signs of cancer. Needle biopsies of such a mass using ultrasonographic guidance can be attempted by a veterinarian but usually give a definitive diagnosis in only half the cases.
Treatment
In most cases, the cancer has already metastasized in the cat's body by the time of diagnosis. It has usually spread to the liver, the intestines, lymph nodes, lungs and other areas of the body. The veterinarian may recommend chemotherapy and radiation therapies as options, but these treatments have shown little success in animal patients. Surgical removal of the tumor may also be recommended, but it is very difficult to get clean, cancer-free surgical margins.
Considerations
Most veterinarians recognize that the treatment for pancreatic adenocarcinoma in cats is palliative--designed to relieve the symptoms of the disease and prolong the animal's life. The veterinarian may recommend medications to stop the diarrhea and vomiting, plus subcutaneous or intravenous fluids for dehydration. As the disease progresses and the pancreas becomes totally dysfunctional, the cat may show signs of diabetes--excessive drinking and urination, elevated blood glucose levels and disturbance of the gait in the hind legs.
Warning
There is no curative treatment for pancreatic adenocarcinoma in felines. Because it is normally a disease of older cats, the question for owners becomes improve the quality of life in the time left. Providing good veterinary care and a loving environment will often ease the physical discomfort associated with this cancer. By consulting with a vet, owners may be able to consider euthanasia as a viable option without guilt.
Tags: cancer already, cancer cats, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, time diagnosis, treatment pancreatic, treatment pancreatic adenocarcinoma, until they
