Not too long ago, when a cat owner learned that a pet had cancer, it meant a death sentence for the animal. But, thanks to advances in feline cancer research, things have changed.Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of cells on or within the body. It may be localized, or it may invade adjacent tissue and spread throughout the body. Cancer is common in pet animals, and the rate increases with age. Dogs get cancer at roughly the same rate as humans, while cats get fewer cancers. Cancer accounts for almost half of the deaths of pets over 10 years of age. Unfortunately, the cause of most cancers is not known and therefore prevention is difficult. One known cause of cancer is an injection, most often a vaccination, which may spur an overzealous inflammatory or immune system reaction to the vaccine. This is called an injection-site sarcoma. Other cancer, such as breast cancer, is largely preventable with early spaying.
A sarcoma is a malignant tumor composed of cells derived from connective tissue. These tumors often develop quickly and can spread (metastasize) to distant locations in the body.
Lymphosarcoma (lymphoma) is a malignant cancer that involves the lymphoid system. In a healthy animal, the lymphoid system is an important part of the body’s immune system defense against infectious agents...
Metastatic neoplasia is defined as cancer that has spread from its original site to other sites in the body. The lungs and local lymph nodes are common sites of metastasis and are associated with malignant...
Cancer is a transformation of normal cells into abnormal (malignant) cells. Cancer can develop in virtually any organ or body system, and some cancers spread or metastasize to other areas of the body....
Most skin cancers appear as a lump in or underneath the skin or as a sore that does not heal. Animals with skin cancer may experience discomfort or itchiness, which may cause them to chew or scratch at...
A biopsy is the surgical removal of a portion of suspicious masses, tumors or abnormal organs for evaluation and a diagnosis by a veterinary pathologist. The procedure takes about 15 minutes to an hour...
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