Test results for kitty with mouth tumor

[smokeybear894]

Rheya and Kris,

Thanks for your thoughts. My Smokey was diagnosed this week with Oral SCC. The results were not what I had hoped for my best friend! I have discussed all options with my vet and after much consideration have opted to start her on Piromax. I don't have much experience with all of this yet but will share in the weeks(hopefully several months) to come.

If anybody has been down this path before, please write about your experiences with form of treatment.

Stacy & Smokey

[Traci]

Stacy, do you know which of the following your vet diagnosed specifically: tongue, tonsil or gingival? Reason being is because each carries a different surgical technique or excision. If the tongue, a partial tongue removal (glossectomy) can be done....if the tonsil, removal of the tonsils, ...and if gingiva, agressive or partial excision (including bone if necessary)

Most of these tumors are highly agressive, meaning even after removal, they can reoccur. So, complete removal plus treating with adriamycin, carboplatin or mitoxantrone (chemotherapy agents), or consideration of radiation therapy might be advisable (depending on exact location of tumor and progression). Radiation therapy is usually not effective, but is worth talking about with your vet.

I would suggest asking your vet to consult with a pro feline oncologist on your behalf, either with Greg Ogilvie at Colorado State University or with Kevin Hahn at Gulf Coast Vet Specialists in Houton TX......The oncology department at the U of Wisonsin might be another pro consult option.

Until you can get a pro consult, here is a site that focuses on pets with cancer, very well organized, easy to search around, and there is a detailed care section you can discuss with your vet.....Caring For Pets With Cancer - Kevin Hahn, DVM

The important thing is that you are given options, discuss those options in full with your vet, get all your questions met, and discuss home care issues, as well as your vet's availability to you in event of new symptoms, need for medications, or if you choose chemotherapy, the need for lab work, etc. I would also strongly suggest routine x-ray evaluation of the chest area and lymph node exams. SCC is highly metastic and can spread to any of these areas. It is generally not diagnosed until in late stage disease, which means treatment becomes very difficult or non-responsive, but there ARE cases of managing the tumors with prompt, agressive treatment. This is where a pro consult would be a good approach for you.

Please keep us updated, we are here for support should you need. Hang in there and keep in constant contact with your vet.

[smokeybear894]

Traci,

Smokey was diagnosed with SCC of the tongue. The tumor is on the right side of her tongue on the bottom. I have discussed all of the options with my vet and after much consideration have opted to start her on Piromax. I just felt if I put her through surgery or radiation, it would only make her miserable. Believe me this was not an easy decision to make but I want to make her as comfortable as I can. If you know anyone who has taken this path with this type of cancer please let me know how things are going for them.

Trying to keep my chin up,
Stacy

[Traci]

Stacy, as one who has some personal experience with cancer, I can only tell you that you have to make your decisions carefully, and feel confident in the decisions you make.

Having said that, you didn't indicate how you based your decisions, or what your vet was telling you. I can understand if this is a painful discussion for you, but would like you to know that we are here for support, to vent on, to talk, whatever you feel....

I think I would rather offer you encouragement on potential removal of the tumor, providing your vet can get the widest excision possible. Your kitty is only 9 years old, and if there is any possibility that life can be extended to a degree (including quality of life), then surgical removal might offer more. I usually recommend following with chemotherapy as well, but I do of course understand owners' wishes not to persue chemotherapy for whatever the reasons.

SCC is very agressive, without at least an attempt at excision, I'm not confident that progression will be as slow as you are hoping for.

Here is a post to another case similar to yours, Glossectomy post .....for what it's worth, might help to read.

I don't want to offer you false hope or to push you into a direction you don't want to persue. I only want what you want, for your kitty to lead as normal, and as pain-free a life as possible. I do however, encourage you to talk with your vet again, just so that you are absolutely certain you have reached your decision in complete confidence, rather than a quick decision you might not have explored further. This tumor might progress rather rapidly without removal, making it extremely difficult for her to perform normal functions like eating, chewing, swallowing, and especially if the tumor enlarges to the point of debilitation (unable to lap up water, etc etc)

Whatever your choices, I respect them.....just want you to be sure that you've explored all options possible.

[davet]

this is just srictly a personal opinion from some one who knows little about how far the squamus cell has proliferated....if it requires taking more than half the tongue than i would stick with medication but if it is small enough where just a bit of the tongue, ie pea or so size, i would cut it out....you would be amazed at how well animals respond to this type surgery, they can get along with only half or more of their tongue...they may dribble a little but once the get the hang of it they eat and drink almost normal. have seen lots of almost tongueless pets who never missed a beat...if surgery is possible then i would opt for it first to get this thing out before it can do much damage...cats don't have to form vowels and pronounce Rs or other sounds...again without knowing the case....

[Kris]

smokeybear894 -

Am wondering how smokey has been recently. Hope your chin is still up.

A post was made in the PrayerBook in case you had not noticed.