Cat Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a disease of middle-aged and old female cats especially Siamese cats. Ninety percent of cat breast tumors are malignant. Any hard lump near a nipple and under the skin of a breast should be examined by your veterinarian. Early diagnosis and aggressive therapy of malignant breast tumors may prolong your cat's life.

The cause of breast cancer is not known; however, it is possible that breast cancer may be averted if your cat is spayed before the first heat. So if you do not plan to breed your cat, it may be a good idea to have the ovario hysterectomy doneearly.

If the lump is suspicious, your veterinarian will probably recommend two procedures a radiograph or ultrasound of the chest and a biopsy of the lump. If malignancy is present, metastasis of the cancer to the lungs is a fairly common occurrence. If there is no evidence of metastasis, surgery will be recommended. The affected breast and the adjacent lymph vessels, veins, and lymph nodes willusually be removed and examined for malignancy. If the tumor is benign, breathe a sigh of relief! Some benign tumors can become malignant if they are not removed. If the tumor is malignant, the surgery may increase your cat's life span and free it of discomfort or pain. Surgery may be combined with chemotherapy, radiation, orimmunotherapy.

As you can see, cancer is a very complex chronic disease that, in many instances, can be treated. Early diagnosis is very important, as is close cooperation with your veterinarian during treatment. The decision between euthanasia and treatment should be made only after serious consultation with your veterinarian, always keeping in mind your cat's well-being.