Radiation cancer therapy worth it? Side Effects?

[iPappy]

Thank you.
He demanded 90minutes straight on my lap getting neck scratches, not weird for him.

The other four cats, inversely, are acting very weird for the past few days.

90 minutes! That's a wonderful amount of time and I'm so glad he's demanding those neck scratches
The other cats may sense your stress and your worry and aren't sure what's going on. Are they avoiding either you or Luke?

 

[syzygycat]

..The other cats may sense your stress and your worry and aren't sure what's going on. Are they avoiding either you or Luke?

Cats ages 14yr,13yr(Luke),10yr,4yr,and 20mo.

They all have very reliable idiosyncrasies. None of them are behaving like the cats I know. The 14 y/o has stopped howling at sunrise. The kitten is not following Luke around. None of them are hanging out in the bedroom. The 10yr old is nowhere to be seen hes normally hyperactive running up and down the stars all day.
The 4y/o is being the most unusual of all. She had emotional issues when we got her, took months of work to get her comfortable. Since then, she usually sits 10feet away and stares at me constantly like my personal gargoyle. She stands outside the door when I use the bathroom. She Climbs on top of me every single night (shed wait for me to be asleep the 1st year, then when we turn out the lights. Luke usually sleeps with us, she always does. I've barely seen her all week. Luke hid under the bed when we were going to sleep last night, It's the 1st time in 6 days the 4y/o crawled in to bed. By morning Luke had come back on the bed and the 4y/o was gone.

 

[iPappy]

Do you think they know something isn't right with Luke? He also might smell differently from the vet and his treatment, making them wary of him.

 

[syzygycat]

Do you think they know something isn't right with Luke? He also might smell differently from the vet and his treatment, making them wary of him.

I don't honestly know why but could be a lot of things.
He demands everyone pet him, so aside from the potential medical smells. Hes ben vigorously pet and held by a dozen nurses & vet staff has their scent all over him. 20 years of working in a chem. Labs desensitized me to odors but even I can get a hint of a few different purfumes on him.
Also, It used to take 10min to prep each of their 4 meals, in the basement kitchen. They'd wait as I stir and distribute the bowls. Now it takes 90min per meal with all the blending, grinding, straining multiple food options for Luke and he gets fed depending . If cats think like human children it'd invoke frustration and jealousy.
Then again, I haven't been acting sad and manically attentive/dotingm Im definitely stressing out my and worrying my wife probaby freaking out the cats too.

 

[syzygycat]

UPDATE: Luke survived all his radiation treatments. Still minimal side effects. Tumor has a delayed response to radiation. Hadnt changed day off treatment 3. Has shrank 3-6% by treatment 4.
Food prep and feeding him is a full time job but we managed to keep him eating without a feeding tube. His weight was at an all time adult low 29days ago (11.8lbs). He's now at 12.6.. the same weight gain rate of a 3-9mo old kitten.

At least for today he's doing great. Things turn bad at anytime and could be fast or slow, no guarantees how long he'll last but the oncologist is optimistic he'll be ok for at least 2 weeks. As long as he doesn't take a turn we follow up in 4 weeks. It's extremely unlikely for him to last 6mos. But if he does he can do another round of radiation then.

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

I am so sorry. My cat( the one in my avatar) did not have cancer, but was on the same drugs for immune mediated hemolytic anemia. Very difficult to treat in cats. We tried everything , he did not tolerate anything well. Prednisolone, Cancer meds and finally a blood transfusion. We were SOL in 3 months.I had to end it for him because his quality of life was gone. I know they have some success with certain cancers but not others. Whatever, you decide to do I wish the best.

 

[syzygycat]

I am so sorry. My cat( the one in my avatar) did not have cancer, but was on the same drugs for immune mediated hemolytic anemia. Very difficult to treat in cats. We tried everything , he did not tolerate anything well. Prednisolone, Cancer meds and finally a blood transfusion. We were SOL in 3 months.I had to end it for him because his quality of life was gone. I know they have some success with certain cancers but not others. Whatever, you decide to do I wish the best.

We were in tears for weeks when we got the news and full of worry when we started the radiation, but the shock has worn down.
We have to give him daily oral prednisolone, which makes him very congested, he drools his little nose whistles for hours after taking pred. And he can only eat soft mushy food. But in every other way he is back to being the same cat he was before getting sick. Even his mischievous behaviors are back he tries eat anything I eat, back to stealing bread and chips off unattended plates and running under the bed with it (so we can't take it away). He had claimed 3 of our 11 litter boxes as his, for the past few months he stopped caring about who uses which litter boxes but now he's back to peeing on his litter boxes if another cat used it.
We accepted that he is going to get sicker and sicker and have to be put down. So all of this extra time with him, and him actually himself for now is a huge win. It very unlikely but not impossible for him to last another 6mos.

Honestly the biggest fear now is if the cancer returns so aggressively that we have to euthanize him while he's not acting sick. it's one thing to euthanize a pet when he/she's too weak to move,a nightmare to have to do it to a pet full of energy and trying to flee.

My in-law's had to go through that with their dog. Had tumor removed a year earlier, looked fine on a friday, had a 1cm lump on her head saturday night (went to the 24hr clinic) by the time the MRI was available that Monday the lump was 4cm. It was rapidly spreading in her stem, she had 4days max. But the neuroglial symptoms would cripple her much sooner, the humane thing would be to euthanize the next morning. She had a limp and trouble opening one eye that morning but was still eating, running, playing and since she went to the vet twice in the past 3 days she was weary of getting in the car again. Tried to flee, hide, resist every step of that final visit. I can't even imagine what that was like for them.

We already found a service that, when the time comes. will come and do it at our home for $800.
It would be unbearable to have to chase after him to euthanize. It's weird to think this but hopefully he stop eating and gets lethargic first before the pain starts and euthanizing is necessary .

 

[IzzysfureverMom]

We were in tears for weeks when we got the news and full of worry when we started the radiation, but the shock has worn down.
We have to give him daily oral prednisolone, which makes him very congested, he drools his little nose whistles for hours after taking pred. And he can only eat soft mushy food. But in every other way he is back to being the same cat he was before getting sick. Even his mischievous behaviors are back he tries eat anything I eat, back to stealing bread and chips off unattended plates and running under the bed with it (so we can't take it away). He had claimed 3 of our 11 litter boxes as his, for the past few months he stopped caring about who uses which litter boxes but now he's back to peeing on his litter boxes if another cat used it.
We accepted that he is going to get sicker and sicker and have to be put down. So all of this extra time with him, and him actually himself for now is a huge win. It very unlikely but not impossible for him to last another 6mos.

Honestly the biggest fear now is if the cancer returns so aggressively that we have to euthanize him while he's not acting sick. it's one thing to euthanize a pet when he/she's too weak to move,a nightmare to have to do it to a pet full of energy and trying to flee.

My in-law's had to go through that with their dog. Had tumor removed a year earlier, looked fine on a friday, had a 1cm lump on her head saturday night (went to the 24hr clinic) by the time the MRI was available that Monday the lump was 4cm. It was rapidly spreading in her stem, she had 4days max. But the neuroglial symptoms would cripple her much sooner, the humane thing would be to euthanize the next morning. She had a limp and trouble opening one eye that morning but was still eating, running, playing and since she went to the vet twice in the past 3 days she was weary of getting in the car again. Tried to flee, hide, resist every step of that final visit. I can't even imagine what that was like for them.

We already found a service that, when the time comes. will come and do it at our home for $800.
It would be unbearable to have to chase after him to euthanize. It's weird to think this but hopefully he stop eating and gets lethargic first before the pain starts and euthanizing is necessary .

I wish you all the best in the coming days. It is the hardest part of loving them.But I would to it all over again. Of coarse when I got Valentino I said to him that I hope we would be together for a long time. I jinxed myself. He was only ten when we lost him. He was my cat soulmate.You will be in my thoughts in the coming days.

 

[fionasmom]

Try to focus on the fact that you are doing everything which is humanely possible for him and it seems as if you are getting some results which will give him more time.

Having a service selected is very forward thinking and will prevent that final trip to the vet's. Often a very sick animal will sometimes "perk up" at the vet's only because there is something new and momentarily interesting which makes everything much harder even if you know that what you are doing is right.

Honestly the biggest fear now is if the cancer returns so aggressively that we have to euthanize him while he's not acting sick.

If this were to happen, you have to make yourself understand that any display of energy does not negate the fact that the condition has reached a critical stage.

 

[syzygycat]

I wish you all the best in the coming days. It is the hardest part of loving them.But I would to it all over again. Of coarse when I got Valentino I said to him that I hope we would be together for a long time. I jinxed myself. He was only ten when we lost him. He was my cat soulmate.You will be in my thoughts in the coming days.

Sorry about Valentino.
I 'own' 5 of my own, fostered 6 others. took care of 2 others for over a year. Luke is unique/ extraordinary Everything about him is in the 1st or 99th percentile. We're braced for him to take a downturn at anytime but wouldn't have been surprised if he died within a week of the diagnosis or be one of the rare cats that makes it last 150days.



I sorta jinxed myself a little too. I specifically spaced adopting my cats years apart... Assumed the oldest, Molly, would die first.

 

[syzygycat]

...Having a service selected is very forward thinking and will prevent that final trip to the vet's..

Downside to these at home services are, they need 3-5 days notices for an appointment. I think there's still a decent chance we gotta get it done at the vet anyway.

 

[fionasmom]

they need 3-5 days notices for an appointment

They usually do. Several years ago, I was unable to get an "on the spot" home appointment for one of my GSDs. I suppose that you might call, depending on how many home services there are in your area, and ask about availability without a wait, if necessary.

 

[chellen2]

I realize this is an old post but my cat is about 12 and has been diagnosed with nasal carcinoma. I joined the forum to read about others' experiences. I'm devastated. I am going for a radiation consult. Is it possible to pm you, since you have firsthand experience with this particular type of cancer?

My cat Lola had three cancers in her life.
The first one was a nasal carcinoma, inside one of her nostrils, impossible to operate on. She was 11 years old.
The oncologist presented me with three options:
-Do nothing, 6 months to live top, with incredible pains and suffering.
-Palliative radiotherapy treatment (6 or 8 sessions), rather affordable, but palliative, with very little or no chances of success.
-Full radiotherapy treatment (16 daily sessions), very expensive, with a feeble chance of success, though, they told me, no cat ever survived longer than 12 months after treatment.

They told me that the radiotherapy would have been extremely heavy on Lola's body, and it would have been extremely heavy on my spirit and finances. According to them it wasn't worth it, but I wanted to follow this path, and my cat not only felt better, but lived 64 months longer, being maybe the first cat in veterinary records to survive a nasal carcinoma, as the oncologists told me two years later.

Yes, Lola was weak for over a year after the treatment, and probably she never fully recovered her energy, but she was able to live her life, face her second carcinoma (in one adrenal gland) and survive the surgery to remove it, before being diagnosed with the third carcinoma and undergo another heavy radiotherapy treatment.

I think that if money isn't an issue, it is well worth it. This is my opinion.

 

[Antonio65]

I realize this is an old post but my cat is about 12 and has been diagnosed with nasal carcinoma. I joined the forum to read about others' experiences. I'm devastated. I am going for a radiation consult. Is it possible to pm you, since you have firsthand experience with this particular type of cancer?

Hi C chellen2 , I'm sorry to read about the reasons that brought you here.
Of course you can PM me, I hope to be of help to you.
Write to me whenever you want.
Hugs.

 

[syzygycat]

I realize this is an old post but my cat is about 12 and has been diagnosed with nasal carcinoma. I joined the forum to read about others' experiences. I'm devastated. I am going for a radiation consult. Is it possible to pm you, since you have firsthand experience with this particular type of cancer?

I'm the the OP (kitty with oral cancer).
From what I've read nasal cancers have better odds of being cured with radiation and longer survival times with palliative radiation than oral cancers. 12 is still young, his body has better chances to fight off secondary infections. I pray that'll be true for your situation and you have a lot more time with your cat.

I'll some up my experience, in case it's helpful for you or anyone else going through this down the line.
Luke's cancer had spread to much, that point his only option was palliative. If it was small and localized lots of frequent radiation doses may have cured him, but in all likelihood he'd need surgery after, remove his eye and a big portion of his face.
And in all honesty, not sure wede have put him through that if it was an option we caught it a little earlier the curative treatment would've been too extreme and painful to to put him. The tumor was on the left half of his face grown in his upper and lower jaw, top lip, nostril, sinus, between his eye and brain almost to his ear.
Luke's life is over now, he was euthanized a few days ago. But I am so so glad I got the radiation treatment. He got one treatment a week for 4 weeks, his nose was a little pink and healed quick His 4 doses was low enough that he didn't get any severe side effects.
He started feeling a bit better and appetite came back after the 2nd treatment. The tumor got smaller and smaller weeks after the last treatment. All visible signs of the tumor and the swelling was gone and stayed gone.
His health peaked 3 weeks after the last treatment. The tumor was still there deep down applying pressure which caused his left eye and nostril to water, and the roof of his mouth was sensitive so he could only eat watery pate. Aside from that he was back to normal from weeks 7 to week 11.
He then had a very slow decline. A few infections that did clear up quickly with meds. More and more time resting. We had to clean the crusted blood/mucous over his nose daily, eventually a few times. a day. And had to hand feed him thinner layers of filtered pate. Towards the end the left half of his nose was too sensitive to touch. We had to be very gentle cleaning his nose. He wouldn't eat if his nose was clogged so it was important his nostrils were clear before feeding. His care took up a lot of time but his quality of life was pretty decent. All in all the radiation bought him 136 days. He only seemed uncomfortable the last week.

Towards the end the pressure of the tumor pushing on his eye caused an eye ulcer, he had partial vision loss, needed eye drops and for the 1st time needed pain killers (according to the vet). He still acted normal for a few days but the eye suddenly got worse.
On Monday he started getting unstable on his feet. Then pacing and meowing whenever the meds wore off, he went from eating 300cal to 100cal. He was the same on Tuesday and we knew it was time. Since he was ok on meds and still eating we also knew we didn't have to euthanize right away. So we made the call and scheduled a home euthanasia Friday.
(Obviously if he seemed like he was in constant pain we'd get it done immediately at the 24hour vet)
Luckily We were able to keep him comfortable, but grogggy, those last 3days. Opioids(buprenorphine) 3x a day and gabapentin 3x a day, so he was getting 'something' every 4 hours.

Whenever the time comes (hopefully many years later) I strongly recommend home euthanasia. We went with a company called Lap of Love. Pricey but made the process a lot less painful.

I'm sure you're not thinking about money in a time like this but you should know medication costs varies wildly, for meds to don't need right away (or refills) I recommend getting a written prescription and finding a local compounding pharmacy.
All the meds I had to get was 3 times to 8 times more expensive at the vet. And sometimes the vet only has flavored meds that dogs or humans might like but cats hate (ie the vets' prednisolone only came in cherry flavor and cost $95 at the vet vs chicken or unflavored for $35 at the pharmacy, buprenorphine was $360 for a 2 week supply at the vet, $40 from the pharmacy).


Good luck

 

[silent meowlook]

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your Luke.
I want to thank you so much for sharing your experience on here.

 

[syzygycat]

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your Luke.
I want to thank you so much for sharing your experience on here.

Thanks, even for a crazy-cat-person like me who dote's on his cats, gives them lots of daily affection and attention, after a decade a cat (or dog) feels like a permanent fixture in our lives not the temporary thing that it is.
I'm really thankful the radiation gave me the opportunity to have few more months with him, actively show him how much I appreciate him being aware of each extra day with him was a gift.

I feel plenty of grief but a lot less regret than I would've without the extra time.

 

[fionasmom]

I am very sorry for the loss of Luke. It was very kind of you to let us know and to post your update, which was probably not easy to do. You and Luke fought very hard and I hope that there is some comfort in that.

When a cat passes on, we lock the thread out of respect. You posted a beautiful tribute to him in our Crossing the Bridge forum.

Time's up