Owner discusses cat's cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery

Pistache is an 18-year-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat belonging to Sylvie Bermingham. Pistache was diagnosed with an inoperable oral squamous cell carcinoma (aggressive oral cancer) in late May of 2008. She had a large tumor between her mandibles (lower jaw) and also had metastatic disease in the draining lymph nodes (somewhat unusual for oral squamous cell carcinoma). Pistache's tumor responded wonderfully to an alternating protocol combining mitoxantrone and carboplatin, two chemotherapy agents that are frequently used in cats. She ate better, gained weight, and is still doing well a year after diagnosis. This condition normally has a 1 to 3 month prognosis for survival when inoperable. For more information, please visit www.ACVIM.org or e-mail Jennifer@ACVIM.org.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• cat
• feline
• cancer
• chemotherapy
• oncology
• ACVIM
• tumor

[thinkforaminute]

While it's a very encouraging story, it's most likely this video was found because someone is experiencing SCC on their own pet. It would be very helpful to put as much detail as you can about what they cat experienced, where the cancer was located, what the treatment protocol was, who to email/call for more info. The more detail the better. Put it in your video description. You may save other peoples' pets.

[TheACVIM]

@thinkforaminute Thanks for the suggestion. We'll put some updated information together and get it posted soon.

[splashcat]

My cat has squamous cell carcinoma under her jaw and we, too, would like to know which drug or drugs did you use for chemo? Only to let the specialist know of this case, not to tell what to do.

Also it would help document this case to know the drug or drugs used.

[TheACVIM]

@splashcat Please send me an e-mail (Jennifer@ACVIM.org) and I can get you in touch with Pistache's Oncologist who may be able to give you more information. Thank you and good luck.

[splashcat]

@TheACVIM Well I never heard from you. Too bad. Last Tuesday we saw my cat's oncologist who treated her for nearly a thousand dollars. What a mistake. My cats has been sick since. It turned out she injected my cat's tumor with a carcinogen and gave her another systemic one. My cat hasn't been able to close her mouth for a week and dribbles carinogenic saliva, which puts our other cats and us at risk. I read about the "medications"on the internet.

[TheACVIM]

@splashcat I'm very sorry to hear about your difficulties this past week with your cat's veterinary treatment. I have sent you a direct message. Best of luck to you and your kitty, Splash.

[splashcat]

@TheACVIM Thank you for your email and your kind thoughts.

[splashcat]

Last week the oncologist injected carboplain into Splash's jaw tumor. Web research reveals that is a carcinogen. So is the long-acting steroid depo-medrol.

So far it only enlarged the tumor. Splash has been drooling unable to close her mouth ever since. And on the 4th night her mouth hemorrhaged blood from inside. Because of the carcinogenics in her body fluids they also puts my other animals and us humans at risk.

What a mistake treating her traditionally has been!

[distar10]

my CAT HAS SORES ON UPPER LIP GOING INTO NOSE--A BLACK SPOT ON ROOF OF MOUTH & A GREY SIOSACK HANGING IN BACK OF MOUTH. MY VET DOES NOT OPERATE. HE OFFERRED BIOPSY TO SEE IF CANCER. MORE THAN LIKELY IT IS, RIGHT? CAT COULD NOT GET PUT UNDER ANETHISA NOW BEC.NOSE SWOLLEN AND IT WOULD MAKE IT HARD TO BREATH. CANCER, PROBABLY, RIGHT?