Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Cancer
Cats are living longer now than they ever have, and this has increased
the incidence of cancer. Cancer is new tissue produced by the unregu-
lated growth of cells.The cause of most cancers in cats is not known—
just as it is not known in humans. Some types of cancer progress rapid-
ly, while others are slow to spread. Some types are external and can be
observed by owners, and others are detected when a veterinarian is pal-
pating an animal during a physical examination.
There are veterinary oncologists who specialize in animal cancer
treatment, and each year leaps and bounds are made in cancer treat-
ment. Many of the same types of drugs and therapies used for humans
are available for cats. And new, gene-based therapies are being studied
as possible treatments for pets even before they are being studied for
humans, as cancer care centers for both people and animals team up to
find the best ways to fight this terrible disease. The prognosis is differ-
ent for each type of cancer and for each individual cat.The treatments
available for cancer include:
Chemotherapy
Surgery
Radiation
Cryotherapy (freezing the cancer cells)
Immunotherapy
The goal of treating cancer in animals is to prolong life while main-
taining a good quality of life. It is not simply to keep an animal alive. If
an animal is having problems handling the treatment, it is changed or
discontinued.Veterinarians do not want the treatment to be worse than
the disease.
UNDERSTANDING THE LINGO
Neoplasia is another term used to describe cancer. Neo means new,
and plasia means abnormal growth.There are two types of neopla-
sia: benign, which means nonaggressive and unlikely to spread and
cause problems; and malignant, which means aggressive and likely
to spread (metastasize) to other organs.
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