What is Mammary Cancer?
Mammary gland cancers in cats are similar to breast cancer in humans. Mammary cancer is usually a malignant adenocarcinoma that appears in one or more of a cat’s breasts. Other forms of breast and mammary cancer in a cat include adenomas, duct papillomas, and sarcomas. Females, as well as males, can develop this form of cancer. When it appears in cats, it can be fatal, even if treated with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Adenocarcinomas are one of the most aggressive types of cancer, metastasizing or moving to the lymph nodes and other parts of the cat’s body. Siamese cats, cats between the ages of ten and fourteen years of age, and intact (not spayed) females are most likely to develop mammary and breast cancer.
Mammary Cancer Average Cost
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Average Cost
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Symptoms of Mammary Cancer in Cats
Cat owners and their vets will notice the following symptoms:
- Swelling of the breasts or mammary glands
- Infection in and around the glands and breasts
- Skin ulceration surrounding the masses
- Sores that don’t heal
- Pain
- Fever
- Tumors appear as firm nodules firmly attached to the underlying muscle and skin
- Clear, bloody, or milky discharge from the cat’s nipples
- Dead (necrotic) tissue at the site of the tumor
- Unexplained weight loss
- Unwillingness to eat
- Weakness
Causes of Mammary Cancer in Cats
Several factors seem to influence why cats develop mammary or breast cancer:
- Leaving cats intact (not spayed)
- Allowing the cat to have several heat cycles or litters before spaying
- Cat’s age (cancer usually begins when cats are between 10 and 14 years of age)
- Hormones: if cats receive medications with estrogen, they are more likely to develop mammary or breast cancer
- Siamese, Persian and other Oriental breeds, as well as domestic shorthaired cats are at higher risk of developing tumors of the breasts or mammary glands at younger ages
Diagnosis of Mammary Cancer in Cats
When a pet owner brings in a cat with mammary and breast tumors, the vet will conduct a full physical exam, focusing most on the mass or masses. They will palpate the masses and nearby lymph nodes, looking for a spread of the mass.
Once this part of the exam is done, the vet orders X-rays, which enable them to determine how big the tumors and whether it has spread. In addition, the vet may order an abdominal ultrasound, looking for a spread of the tumor to other organs. They may also carry out a fine-needle biopsy, where they aspirate lymph nodes to check for the presence of cancer cells. They will order a complete blood count and a biochemical profile, which allows them to check on the cat’s overall health. Other diagnostic tests may include urinalysis and a clotting profile of the drawn blood sample.
If surgery is decided upon, the surgeon may take a small sample of the tumor and send it to pathology for a biopsy, especially if they are sure the cat has mammary or breast cancer. This biopsy allows the pathologist to determine exactly what kind of cancer the cat has.
Treatment of Mammary Cancer in Cats
When a pet owner brings in a cat with mammary and breast tumors, the vet will conduct a full physical exam, focusing most on the mass or masses. They will palpate the masses and nearby lymph nodes, looking for a spread of the mass.
Once this part of the exam is done, the vet orders X-rays, which enable them to determine how big the tumors and whether it has spread. In addition, the vet may order an abdominal ultrasound, looking for a spread of the tumor to other organs. They may also carry out a fine-needle biopsy, where they aspirate lymph nodes to check for the presence of cancer cells. They will order a complete blood count and a biochemical profile, which allows them to check on the cat’s overall health. Other diagnostic tests may include urinalysis and a clotting profile of the drawn blood sample.
If surgery is decided upon, the surgeon may take a small sample of the tumor and send it to pathology for a biopsy, especially if they are sure the cat has mammary or breast cancer. This biopsy allows the pathologist to determine exactly what kind of cancer the cat has.
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Recovery of Mammary Cancer in Cats
Generally, the prognosis for cats with breast or mammary cancer is guarded, with a few exceptions. If the cat’s tumor is smaller than 2cm, it may survive for up to three years. Cats with tumors between 2 and 3cm may survive fur up to two years and cats whose tumors are larger than 3cm may survive for up to six months. If the cat’s treatment for small tumors that were caught early is aggressive, the cat may live for between two and three years. Cats who underwent large resections (having one or both mammary chains removed) lived post-surgery for up to three years while those cats who had only the tumor removed lived for only one year after surgery.
It benefits the cat to be seen immediately by the vet when its owner detects a suspicious lump.
Over 60 percent of tumors that have been removed will redevelop within 12 months. Because cancerous mammary tumors are so aggressive in cats, their overall prognosis is guarded, especially since these tumors metastasize.
Mammary Cancer Average Cost
From 228 quotes ranging from $3,000 - $8,000
Average Cost
$6,000
Top
Mammary Cancer Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
tabby shorthair
Isha
9 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Cancerous Cells In Left Lymph Nodes
Hi I would love a second opinion for my cat, Isha. About 2 months ago I noticed a lump under one of her left nipples. I took her to the vet who advised a lumpectomy and analysis of the lump. It came back as mammary carcinoma.
The good news was they felt they got all of the tumor as the surrounding cells were normal. I was then advised to opt for a left sided masectomy to prevent the change of spread as breast cancer is so aggressive in cats. However, I did not like the idea of doing preventative surgery when I wasn't 100% sure Isha was cured of cancer.
My vet advised a CT scan, which came back with 2 areas of slight concern (some cells in the spleen and some in the lungs) but the general deduction was that these were not metastasized tumors, but likely to be age related scar tissue (they did state that even the best CT scans cannot state 100% free of cancer, but it was likely that these 2 areas were not cancerous).
On this result, I went ahead with a left sided masectomy. Isha recovered extremely well after surgery, and the removed strip and lymph nodes were sent to histopathology.
I've just had the results back from the lab, and I'm devastated to find the removed lymph nodes have signs of cancer. Therefore she likely has cancerous cells in her right now. Because of this result, my vet has advised me to cancel plans to do a preventative right sided masectomy, and instead decide whether I opt for chemotherapy or not.
My main worry is that my vet is being very vague with me on what we could do in Isha's best interests. I was told by them the CT scan came back clear apart from 2 slightly suspect areas, as explained above. Not once was there any suspicion of any issues on the left breast tract. And yet now I find Isha has cancerous cells in the very area where she had the tumor. Isn't the point of a CT scan to see if the cancer has spread before doing any preventative surgery? It would make sense if it came back that one of the 2 suspect areas (lungs or spleen) was the culprit, but it wasn't! I almost feel the CT scan was practically useless.
The second issue is whether I should opt for chemotherapy. My vet tells me that there isn't enough studies to show that chemotherapy even helps extend life in cats, but at the same time, it is 'recommended.' Again this doesn't make sense. I know the decision is mine to make, but when I'm given only one option for treatment, and then told that there's no previous data to say it actually is of any benefit, it does not seem like much of a choice!
Money isn't an issue here, I'll happily pay for ongoing chemo, but of course I don't want to put Isha through the rigors of monthly chemo for no reason.
I know that no vet, no matter how eminent, can give a 100% 'correct' treatment plan, and there's a lot of grey area here. But my vet is really not instilling much confidence in me (perhaps they are worried about the current 'sue everyone at the drop of a hat' culture we're in, and are staying as vague as possible to ensure there are no litigation issues in the future - I'd never sue a vet, by the way.....you guys do an amazing job and you're allowed to get things wrong sometimes, you're only human)
So sorry for such a lengthy post, but I'm now starting to have sleepless nights worrying abut whether I'm doing the best by Isha. It's not so much her possible death that hurts me, we all die.... it's the not knowing what course of action to take that's in her best interests which is really making me anxious. I hope you will be able to give me a much needed second opinion.
April 30, 2018
1 Recommendations
I understand your concerns and whilst I cannot offer a second opinion as I haven’t examined Isha, I can at least answer some questions so you better understand the situation to make an informed decision. Your main concern is about the CT scan being clear and the histopathology of the lymph nodes showing cancerous cells; the thing is that there is a certain level of resolution a CT scanner has and microscopic clusters of cancerous cells are not going to show up until they are much larger in size which is why we use histopathology to examine lymph nodes as they act as a filter and can tell us a lot, the CT scan wasn’t useless as it would have shown if there were larger or multiple nodules which would have changed the direction of treatment. As for chemotherapy, this is a difficult one to call with various studies giving different information; most information is available for dogs (use of piroxicam) but not much with cats. If you are looking for a thorough second opinion, I would recommend consulting a telemedicine provider like PetRays for a second opinion by a board certified Veterinarian Oncologist who would be more up to date on this area than myself. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
http://petrays.com/specialists/oncology/
May 1, 2018
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Manx
Meow Meow
16 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Breast Cancer
My cat has been living with breast cancer for a year now, we recently took her in for her yearly exam and the vet said it has spread and she might not have much longer. He prescribed pregnisone for the inflamation and to keep her comfortable. I guess my question is, what should I expect in the coming days? She still eats well, poops good, she walks around the yard and the house, if she didn’t have those giant hard bumps on her tummy
I wouldn’t think she was sick at all ya know? Is there anything I should keep an eye out for? Any advice or information would be amazing
April 15, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
1 Recommendations
Mammary cancer can cause MeowMeow to become ill where she doesn't want to eat or drink and feels terrible. It can also affect her so that she just isn't comfortable because the masses are large, or start to bleed and become necrotic. Either of those situations would let you know that her life is not enjoyable anymore. Your veterinarian can help guide you as to when she may be suffering, so that you don't let that happen. I'm sorry that this is happening to her.
April 15, 2018
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no breed
Sophie
11 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
As Above
My cat died on Tuesday3rd April after Easter, she was full of life & eating well late last year 2017 I found a swelling on her lower abdominal I thought it was fat even though she is not a big cat, I noticed that she was licking it very tenderly & was going to take her to the Vets after Easter but she became very lethargic on Easter Sunday & didn't want to go out side as she usually did, she loves to go out side, I new some thing was wrong & had to wait till Tuesday THE 3rd April, the Vet took blood & I waited till I got the results & it was not her Kidneys or Thyroid, the Vet thought it was an infection & gave her an Antibiotic injection & at 12.10 that night she had a seizure she made a loud groaning nois & shook all over, I don't think she was aware that I was there, she died about 1am I now think it was breast Cancer & I am wondering if the Antibiotic Injection caused her to have the seizure, I should have taken her to the vet last year when I saw the swelling, she lost a lot of weight & fur, she was a long haired cat & her fur got so short, she had an amazing thick tail but there was hardly no fur on it at the end but she never lost her joy for life until the last few days, she had the most amazing personality & I feel I let her down by not taking her to the vet earlier, I cant stop crying I miss her so much, she was grey & white & very beautiful.
April 7, 2018
1 Recommendations
It is normal to have these feelings under these circumstances, it would have been best to visit your Veterinarian immediately when noticing the presence of the lump; I cannot say whether the lump was cancer, an inguinal hernia or something else however the loss of weight and body condition would be consistent with cancer. If you are looking to definite answers, I would recommend you have your Veterinarian perform a necropsy to determine the cause of death. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
April 7, 2018
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Mammary Cancer Average Cost
From 228 quotes ranging from $3,000 - $8,000
Average Cost
$6,000
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