My Lola Has Mammary Cancer

therese

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Hi Guys...

I don't usually open new threads but I felt that I needed to do this...There is no where else I can go to talk to kind, empathetic cat lovers who have been to hell and back for their cats and will understand my situation.  


And I want to add up front that none of these decisions I have to make has to do with money, because we have very good insurance on my cat, with a cancer rider.  Its about a cancer guessing game and ultimately her quality of life. 

My 13 year old kitty Lola ( see avatar, when she was a little younger)  had a small 1.5 Cm  ( very small ) cancerous mass, a mammary tumor,  on one nipple, that we discovered a month ago.  

( btw she was spayed at 8 weeks old, so she doesn't fall into the category of a late or adult spay, which can sometimes contribute to this mammary cancer in cats )  She has been a healthy beautiful indoor cat for years, gotten the best of love and care and is a very sturdy, loving  little girl. 

We went to the veterinary oncologist and the oncologist's  board certified vet surgeon did a radical chain mastectomy on one side.  It sounds like a lot but it was just the skin, didn't involve muscles etc. and was less invasive than a spay.  So in two weeks she has almost healed up.

Its amazing how fast she bounced back.  We had to keep her in a giant dog crate with her bed and portable litter box for two weeks, but she had the stitches out today and she is doing remarkably well.  She is eating well, etc.  And in a good mood.

But I am just heartsick.  I have had her since she was two months old and of all my cats over the years, she has been my favorite.  She is fine, doesn't know she is basically dying and I am sitting here crying my eyes out.  

Her diagnosis is Adenocarcinoma with some "early lymph node involvement" in one node ( the one they removed )  Unlike with people and dogs, most cat mammary tumors are aggressive and take them down a lot faster.  

The oncologist said that although the tumor was small and we got it early, because of the lymph node involvement, the protocol is chemo.....one treatment of adrimycin chemo every three weeks for five weeks.  If we had no lymph involvement, she would be at stage 2 but b/c of the lymph situation, she is a stage 3.

I am very mixed about whether or not to have  this chemo because I understand that without chemo, she has a chance of it coming back within 4-6 months, possibly in the same area, like a nipple on the other side ( at which point she said that we might just be able to remove the mass and keep going,  at that point ) or , on the other hand, we could find that in four-six months, rather than presenting as another small tumor,  it could simply have  spread to her lungs, which is a death sentence.  

In the literature I have read, the likelihood of it recurring at the same area ( the other side chain of nipples or one nipple ) is the usual case, but its all a guessing game, because of the shortage of real numbers and research on this with cats.  

But with the chemo, she said that Lola has a 50-50 chance of living six months or 50-50 living a year or more, its like  a roll of the dice. And I am not seeing that the chemo is really increasing her odds significantly, for the side-effects etc. that will cause her to be sick.

So I am not hearing any survival numbers that are much better than skipping the chemo and just monitoring her.  And as far as tolerating the chemo, I guess every cat is different.

I wouldn't hesitate to try the chemo if I could get a couple years for her, but to put her thru that, when it might give her a few more months or not, and have this cat be sick all the time during this, I am not sure what to do. 

 And although the oncologist says that 'most cats tolerate the chemo pretty well,'  I have read entries on this site with people whose cat had the chemo and it was a rough roller coaster, not eating, etc.  and the cat didn't live but a few months longer and was sick most of the time.  If we only have six months, I want her to be happy and feel ok.   

And unfortunately,  there is not much literature or studies on this situation from the universities and journal articles, which the doctor agreed.  I pulled the best of the stuff from the university sites, etc. and for the little studies that have been done, its like I said, with or without chemo, it seems to be a no-guarantee crap shoot.  And at least, imho, skipping the chemo will give her quality of life for the time she has life.  And I can keep praying that she has a year or more.  Miracles do happen, I guess.

My inclination is to leave her alone, just have her checked out by our primary vet on a monthly basis and see what happens. Which the oncologist said is the other option, although she pushes for chemo b/c that is the protocol.   Lola  is 15 pounds, eats very well and is a solid sizeable cat with a hearty disposition.   I just don't want to put her thru the chemo but I am on the fence.

I haven't seen a lot on this site about this issue, but I remember reading a few posts of where they did the chemo and where they didn't do it.

I am just looking for any feedback that anyone can give me, be it regarding their cat or even someone else they know that had to deal with this.   I am still thinking about chemo or not chemo....I am at a loss right now.

Thanks for any imput.
 

stephanietx

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I have no experience with this, but wanted to send you a big hug.  I'm so sorry you're having to face this with your baby.
 

inanna

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Are you doing palliative care?

I agree even if you opt not to treat this (for very well justified reasons with Lola's comfort in mind) it's important to stay in good contact with the her vet.

I am so sorry that Lola is going through this and you have to make this tough call. It's so heart breaking to have to see your precious baby and know that some time soon... well... you know.

We are here for you through all of it, the good and the bad. We can't take the pain away, but we can listen and try to help you through this. Trust me, I am in a very similar position to you and I'm devastated.

As far as deciding to go through with the chemo - that option unfortunately isn't an option for me. Where my cat's tumor is the blood walls / membrane can't absorb the chemo and kill the tumor. I've been struck by a rare lightening bolt in the worst possible way. I will say if my cat's prognosis wasn't poor/terminal I'd do it. I've read some amazing stories where the cats beat the cancer and got to live full and happy lives. From what I understand cats don't react to chemo like humans do and there is a good range of medications to help with the side effects.
 
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therese

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Thank you, Inanna, for your support. and I am so sorry that you, too, are going thru this, too.  At the very least, we will go to our regular vet monthly and have her check up on Lola and make sure how she is doing.  Then, if there are more problems, I go back to the oncologist. I have a very good general vet...she is a young gal, with about 10 years experience, from Texas A & M...so she will be helpful.  We are going to her this Friday just to talk and get our monthly appts. set up.  
 
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therese

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Thank you so much, Stephanie....I know that you are a cat lover and truly understand how painful all this is for all of us, when we have to go thru this.  
 

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I'm so sorry! My cat died from mammary cancer earlier this year. The diagnosis was devastating, it's such an awful cancer it cats. We did two surgeries to try to remove the cancerous tissue, but her cancer was really aggressive and she died 3 months after diagnosis. Our vet told us that chemo wouldn't have made much of a difference in her case, so I didn't have to make a decision on that. I don't really have any advice, I just wanted to say that I empathize with what you're going through and I hope your remaining time with Lola is good. Whatever decision you make will be out of love. My cat acted pretty normally until the last couple weeks of her life. She played, ate, snuggled, and purred like she always did, and palliative care helped a lot when she did start slowing down.
 

inanna

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I'm so sorry! My cat died from mammary cancer earlier this year. The diagnosis was devastating, it's such an awful cancer it cats. We did two surgeries to try to remove the cancerous tissue, but her cancer was really aggressive and she died 3 months after diagnosis. Our vet told us that chemo wouldn't have made much of a difference in her case, so I didn't have to make a decision on that. I don't really have any advice, I just wanted to say that I empathize with what you're going through and I hope your remaining time with Lola is good. Whatever decision you make will be out of love. My cat acted pretty normally until the last couple weeks of her life. She played, ate, snuggled, and purred like she always did, and palliative care helped a lot when she did start slowing down.
I agree. The palliative care is helping my cat immensely, so great in fact it sort of gives me a sense of false hope. My cat isn't in pain, is eating good, and is her lovable self for now. Without the prenesolone and pain medication she was in rough shape.
 
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therese

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Thank you so much, Sprin, for your share.  I know you certainly empathize with my situation.  Did your kitty have the adenoma carcinoma?  You said you had two surgeries....do you mind if I ask a little more about your surgeries?  Where were the tumors?  If you don't want to talk about it, its no problem, just thought I would ask. 

Lola had one small tumor and the surgeon did a chain mastectomy on one side, removing all the nipples on one side plus the small tumor, which was under one nipple.  It was much worse than it sounded, because it just involved the skin, no muscle, etc. and two weeks later, she had her stitches out and is doing amazingly well, active, etc.  

He felt that if we didn't do the whole side, it would come back faster, but of course, it wasn't until the pathology report that they discovered that there was lymph node involvement, which was the worst news.  Without that, we might have been able to get a year or even longer.  

She is doing ok now but its the coming months that I worry about and its so hard seeing her every day and knowing that I am losing her.  But it really helps to share here, with people who really understand.   
 
 

sprin

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Thank you so much, Sprin, for your share.  I know you certainly empathize with my situation.  Did your kitty have the adenoma carcinoma?  You said you had two surgeries....do you mind if I ask a little more about your surgeries?  Where were the tumors?  If you don't want to talk about it, its no problem, just thought I would ask. 

Lola had one small tumor and the surgeon did a chain mastectomy on one side, removing all the nipples on one side plus the small tumor, which was under one nipple.  It was much worse than it sounded, because it just involved the skin, no muscle, etc. and two weeks later, she had her stitches out and is doing amazingly well, active, etc.  

He felt that if we didn't do the whole side, it would come back faster, but of course, it wasn't until the pathology report that they discovered that there was lymph node involvement, which was the worst news.  Without that, we might have been able to get a year or even longer.  

She is doing ok now but its the coming months that I worry about and its so hard seeing her every day and knowing that I am losing her.  But it really helps to share here, with people who really understand.   
 
It was an adenocarcinoma under one of her nipples, we didn't notice it until it was nickle size. 
I know prognosis is suppose to be better when you catch it early. The first surgery was more conservative in how much tissue they took out, then the next surgery happened soon after they got the results from the pathologist. It was more invasive, they went deeper into her muscle and removed all of her nipples on one side and some on the other.  Robin recovered pretty well from both surgeries. Unfortunately the cancer had already spread into her lymph nodes, and then a new tumor formed in the lymph node in her armpit area under one of her front legs. It was so upsetting, because I was really hoping I would have more time with her. I remember looking at her and just wanting to cry because I knew she would be gone soon. I just tried to make my remaining time with her really positive. I fed her her favorite foods and played with her a lot, bought her new toys I thought she would like. I took a lot of pictures.
 
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therese

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I caught ours 'early,' it was only 1.5 cm and it STILL has spread to the lymph node, in a VERY short time,  so there is no winning with this diagnosis.   From the sound of it, we both did the best we could do.  

I am so sorry that you had to go thru this.  Thanks for being there for me, too.  
 

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I caught ours 'early,' it was only 1.5 cm and it STILL has spread to the lymph node, in a VERY short time,  so there is no winning with this diagnosis.   From the sound of it, we both did the best we could do.  

I am so sorry that you had to go thru this.  Thanks for being there for me, too.  
Thanks.
I'm sorry you're going through it now. You're right, it's just a devastating cancer.
 

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Just wanted to add I've started looking into alternative medicine and Chinese skullcaps (it's a root vegetable) tops the list for a more holistic, non evasive, and safe for cats treatment. I've actually decided to start giving this to my cat. I've got nothing to lose & since there are reports of it shrinking tumors, I'm guarded, but hopeful.
 
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therese

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We actually have a few holistic ( homeopathic?  I get them confused ) vets in my area.  I am thinking I might make an appointment to see what they can do.  I will report back if I go and let you know what they recommended.  
 

inanna

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Awesome! I actually spoke with my vet yesterday about some of the other types of treatment verse standard. While we were talking a vet tech. piped in about Frankincense essential oil (non toxic to cats). She supplements her cat who has bladder cancer. I've looked into it and decided to start giving my cat it.

It might shrink her tumor... it might not, but at least I'm giving my girl a few more options.
 
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therese

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I have an appt. next week with a local holistic / homeopathic vet who was initially into western medicine and now incorporates the other practices as well.  I will report back.   We need to try whatever we can try.  
 

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So sorry about what you are going through with Lola, I have a kitty at end stages right now so I thought I would share her story so you know a little what may happen as she nears the end.

Shadow is a 14 yr old kitty with SERIOUS car and carrier anxiety. When she was younger and we had to take her to the vet she would foam at the mouth, poo and pee herself, gasp for air, pant..it was HORRIBLE. She is highly sensitive and when she was about 8 we had a puppy. My son took the puppy against our orders down by where the food bowl for the cats was. Shadow responded by refusing to go to the food bowl and her liver began to shut down. We hadnt realized what was going on for some reason until we noticed she was laying in a box and wouldnt come out. We took her to the ER clinic late on Friday night and they did what they could but her chances of survival were slim. She couldn't walk, wouldnt eat..and finally 3500 dollars later they put a feeding tube in her neck so we could feed her a special food through a tube every two hours in hope her liver would kick back in and she would survive. We believe this left her immune system a little challenged. She would get little colds and sinus infections a lot. She was also highly neurotic and would pull her hair out of her tummy and back so she had a bald strip. Finally about 4 yrs ago she stopped going downstairs at all preferring to stay in my room . At night she would sleep on my pillow and she would watch out the window for me when I left. 

Last spring I noticed she had been losing weight. We began to supplement her food with some special canned food in hopes that she would fatten up. I didn't notice anything wrong other than the weight loss. In November right before Thanksgiving I gave her a little bit of a rub down and noticed some lumps in her tummy around her nipples. Three of them, the largest was bigger than a lima bean. She never liked being touched anywhere near her tummy so it wasn't something we did often. I did research as you may have done..I forget if you found out the statistics before or after you took Lola. Anyway, based on the fact that there were several lumps, and the statistics only promised to possibly prolong her life but NOT for long I knew that Shadow would be more miserable going to the vet and having chemo and surgery than if we spoiled her for as long as we could. Even if we were rich, which we are not I don't think I would have given her chemo. 

Her tumor is growing VERY fast, right now it is a little bigger than a golf ball and oddly shaped, flat or olongated, it is oozing a bit and to me looks painful. Two weeks ago she stopped using the cat box and eating hard foods. I try to get her into the box but no go. Last Sunday I noticed she was having a hard time eating her cat food, she stopped running to the food and we began bringing it to her. She eats a pate style with a bit of water mixed in and now only eats about a can probably less throughout the day and is drinking less than 2 ounces a day. It is hard for her to walk. She isn't breathing right, kind of fast and panting but usually NOT with her mouth open or tongue hanging out. Her eyes don't look that great and she is beginning to smell. I don't know when the last time she had a bowel movement was but her urine output is still normal and the color and odor is fine. She spends her time in the window right by me and I can reach out and rub her, she still manages to purr when I rub her. She made it to my bed last night and slept on the pillow above me and I could reach up and rub her. Movement takes a lot out of her, and it takes her awhile to get comfortable after a move.  Sometimes I find her laying almost in her water dish, I don't know what that is all about.. I am guessing she gets up to get a drink and it takes a lot out of her so she basically falls asleep right there. 

I know she isn't pain free, I am not gonna fool myself, but she isn't miserable. She is resting peacfully. She looks out the window, she looks at me and she sleeps. My prayers are she will pass while she sleeps here at home. I would guess she has less than a week to go since she hasn't been eliminating. 

I don't want to put her to sleep if I can help it, not that I have a problem with euthanizing animals. I have had to make that decision before. When Shadow shows signs of distress NO worries I will be responsible but she is still in tune with me and those around her. She still enjoys the world as much as she can from her window seat . When food is offered she eagerly accepts it. OH, another thing, we noticed about a month ago some strange grinding sound when she eats. I thought maybe a tumor or something somewhere or that she was really dry in the mouth. I began to give her more water but she doesnt really want it. Something is up there and it still sounds weird when she eats. Eating may not be the most comfortable thing for her but she still enjoys her food, 

We put coconut oil on her belly. The oozing is yellowish and kind of icky so we try and gently soften it up she doesn't mind that but you can tell the largest of the group is a BIG annoyance to her. It is between her legs when she lays down and just looks icky..poor baby.

SO, since you had surgery you may have a ways to go..I really hope you do. I knew that Shadow had about 6 mos to a year when I found these lumps I was hoping more like a year or that  maybe just maybe my self-diagnosis was wrong. Seems it was 100% correct.. OH also I should mention. My sons fiance is a vet tech and her boss is a very popular vet in our area. Olivia knows Shadow and took our situation to her boss and he agreed based on her temperment and the description of her tumors that she would be better off just living out her days in as much comfort with as much love as we could give. IF it had gotten obviously painful and we thought she could benefit from pain medication he would prescribe it. SO far it doesn't appear to be something she needs. So I apologize for my long post, I do hope you have a LONG time with your girl. I am really heartbroken and so apprehensive about the days to come..IF you have any questions let me know..

This picture was taken in her healthy days...before this mess began and it is SO hard to look at..


and this one was taken a month after we found the tumors..hard to see her real well..you woudn;t really wanna see her now..she is unkempt, skinny, eyes sunken but still my sweet little girl I love her so much!!
 

tyreebruce

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could you tell me what palliative care you followed and also..what were the last days like. Did you put her to sleep? I posted a response in here so I will just say here that my cat is going into what I believe are her last days. I am actually surprised she has stayed with us the past 5 days. She no longer has bowel movements, and is breathing hard, sleeps mostly all day. She is breathing hard when she moves and it takes awhile when she moves to slow it down.  She sometimes has a very vacant look and others looks very with it. She still gets VERY happy when I talk to her and rub her. She also still eats a little bit several times a day but doesn't drink much water so we add fluids to her food (canned) so she is getting them with her food..

I am so sorry for your loss.. I have been preparing myself as best I could but, each time I notice something new, or worse I lose it all over again..
 
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therese

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Tyreebruce, thank you SO MUCH for your detailed story about Shadow, who is, incidentally, VERY beautiful and looks very sweet. 

I am so so sorry about what you are going thru.     My Lola had her chain mastectomy two weeks ago and is doing ok....although the pathology report said that she has 'early lymph node involvement.'  Right now, she is doing ok but I know as we go along, its going to get rough.  

She did very well on the liquid pain meds for the ten days after surgery....I think it was called Buprenex.....and she is healing well.  If your kitty does get in pain, ask the doctor about buprenex.....I am not prescribing anything here, but it helped Lola a lot after surgery. 

But I have decided against the chemo, just to extend her life for a few months, which would be the case in her situation....we will do the best we can and see how it goes.  Right now, she is playing and active, although I am having to give her an appetite enhancer, to make her eat a little more.  And I am going to take her to a  vet who does western medicine butwho is also holistic, to see if there is anything there to help her, herbs, etc.  

I figure we have four to six months, per the doctors, before we see a 're-occurence,' of tumors somewhere.  They say it can come back in the same area, or in a remote area like her lungs.  Who knows.  Her tumor was very small but with lymph node involvement, it speeds up the process.  Had she not had the lymph node involvement, she would have gone on a long time, like a year or two.   

This is a terrible journey and I so appreciate your caring enough to share your story with me.  Its wonderful people like you and the other people who have shared with me, who are really helping me to get thru this.  

I lost my two lab dogs to lymphoma, one at 14 and one at 13....but lymphoma causes them to go down very very fast.  This is a whole 'nother situation here.  

I will keep updating and please keep letting us know how you are doing with her.  
 
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Thank you..Lola is very pretty as well and I will definitely check on the buprenex..Wishing you a LONG time with your girl!! I will let you know how this ends...I have looked all over to find others who have been through this that can tell me what I can expect and haven't found anyone yet..but it really is surprising how quickly these tumors take over...I HATE Cancer so much! 

Have a great evening..and Thank you for YOUR response! 
 

tyreebruce

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I'm so sorry! My cat died from mammary cancer earlier this year. The diagnosis was devastating, it's such an awful cancer it cats. We did two surgeries to try to remove the cancerous tissue, but her cancer was really aggressive and she died 3 months after diagnosis. Our vet told us that chemo wouldn't have made much of a difference in her case, so I didn't have to make a decision on that. I don't really have any advice, I just wanted to say that I empathize with what you're going through and I hope your remaining time with Lola is good. Whatever decision you make will be out of love. My cat acted pretty normally until the last couple weeks of her life. She played, ate, snuggled, and purred like she always did, and palliative care helped a lot when she did start slowing down.
I am wondering Srpin if you could describe the last week or so with your kitty? I believe I am pretty much there with my cat and want to know what to expect. 
 
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